A woman fatally stabbed one person and wounded another in Times Square on Monday afternoon before being shot and killed by New York City police officers. The incident occurred within a roughly 20-minute window, causing panic among tourists and commuters.
Pamela Cisneros, 49, was confronted by officers after the attacks. Dramatic video captured the moment she refused commands to drop two large knives and instead threatened the officers, saying, "I’m not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you. I will kill you." Multiple attempts to use Tasers were unsuccessful before Cisneros charged at the officers with the knives. Two officers then opened fire, striking her in the chest.
Officers immediately attempted life-saving measures and handcuffed Cisneros, who was later pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that officers had given Cisneros numerous commands to drop the weapons over approximately four minutes before she advanced on them.
The attack began when Cisneros pulled two knives from a red Target bag. She first stabbed a 68-year-old man in the abdomen as he exited the subway and waited to cross West 41st Street. She then moved to 42nd Street, where she fatally stabbed a 32-year-old woman in the abdomen in what officials described as an unprovoked attack.
While the motive remains unknown, the incident is not believed to be terrorism-related. Cisneros had a known history of mental illness with the department. "Our officers were confronted with a rapidly evolving threat with countless innocent people around them. In that moment they did what we trained them to do," Tisch said.