A woman died after being shot by New York Police Department officers on Monday afternoon in Times Square, following a random stabbing attack that killed one person and injured another. The incident occurred just before 4:30 p.m. near a police substation outside One Times Square, a highly touristed area.
According to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the 49-year-old woman from Queens produced two knives from a shopping bag and attacked a 68-year-old man waiting to cross the street. The man was stabbed in the abdomen and later listed in stable condition at the hospital. Seconds later, the woman stabbed a 32-year-old woman, also in the abdomen. The second victim died from her injuries.
Officers present at the scene attempted to de-escalate the situation for several minutes, urging the woman to drop the knives. She reportedly responded by saying, "I’m not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you." A Taser was deployed, but it did not incapacitate her. The woman then advanced quickly toward the officers while brandishing the knives.
Two officers discharged their firearms, striking the woman. Bystander videos showed her falling to the ground, after which an officer handcuffed her. Responding officers provided first aid at the scene.
Tisch stated that the woman had a "documented mental health history with the NYPD," citing incidents in 2018 and 2019, but had no prior arrest history with the department. Police are investigating the attack and have found no evidence to suggest it was a terrorist act. The identities of the victims have not been released pending notification of next of kin.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Commissioner Tisch commended the officers' actions, suggesting their swift response prevented further harm. The NYPD temporarily closed a section of 7th Avenue and advised the public to avoid the area as law enforcement secured the scene.
This incident marks the second killing in Times Square this year. In May, a man was fatally stabbed in the same vicinity. Despite this, overall violent crime in New York City has decreased significantly this year, with homicides down 24% and on track to reach a multi-decade low.