A 49-year-old New York City woman was fatally shot by police on Monday afternoon in Times Square after she fatally stabbed one person and injured another. The suspect, identified as Pamela Cisneros Lopez, was seen charging at officers with two large kitchen knives before being gunned down.
According to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Lopez pulled the knives from a shopping bag and attacked a 68-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman who were in the vicinity. The man was stabbed in the abdomen and is in stable condition, while the woman died from her injuries.
Footage captured the moments after the stabbings, showing officers attempting to subdue Lopez with a taser as she advanced toward them with the knives. Despite the taser's deployment, Lopez continued her advance, prompting officers to fire two shots. She fell to the ground, was handcuffed, and received first aid from officers.
During a brief standoff, Lopez reportedly told officers, "I'm not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you." Commissioner Tisch described the situation as "extraordinarily dangerous" given the dense crowds in Times Square.
Pamela Cisneros Lopez, from Queens, had a documented mental health history with the department, including two incidents in 2018 and 2019, though she was never arrested. Police are still working to determine if the victims were tourists or city residents. Officials stated there is no evidence to suggest the attack was an act of terrorism.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Commissioner Tisch commended the officers' actions, emphasizing that their swift response likely prevented further casualties. The incident was initially reported as a knifepoint robbery, but authorities now believe the attack by Lopez, described as emotionally disturbed, may have lacked a clear motive.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos and distress. One witness saw a man bleeding profusely from his leg, calling for help, while another saw a woman on the ground who was unresponsive and bleeding heavily. Another witness reported seeing an older man, appearing to be Asian, being tended to by his wife after being stabbed in the back.
