A woman in New York’s iconic Times Square stabbed two people, killing one, before being shot dead by police.
The victim killed has been described as a 32-year-old female.
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The other victim, a 68-year-old man, was taken to Bellevue Hospital and is in stable condition.
The attacker was identified in a press conference as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens by Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch in a joint press conference with Mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani.
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Video of the woman being shot by police shows a large police presence approaching the woman, seen wielding both knives while wearing a peach shirt, blue jeans, and grey trainers.
Police point non-lethal tasers at the woman – who seems to be behaving erratically – as she refuses to drop the weapons while spinning them in a windmill motion.
Someone yells “tase her” and Taser darts are seen near the woman.
She then rushes a police officer, two or three shots ring out, and she collapses dead.
Mrs Tisch said: “During the encounter, she told the officers, ‘I’m not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you.’.”
A separate video shows the aftermath of the shooting as officers rendered aid to the woman before she was taken by paramedics.
Aliou Diaye, a 62-year-old street vendor, told The New York Times his recollection of events.
Around 4.30pm, the woman stabbed another right in front of his stand at Seventh Avenue and West 41st Street.
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“She didn’t say nothing,” he said. “She walked up to her. She stabbed her in the stomach.”
The victim collapsed to the ground while he and a friend called 911.
New Yorkers described a chaotic scene.
“As I’m coming out of the building, I see people running west. I was like, what the hell is going on?” a delivery worker told The New York Post.
Hassan Abdallah, 41, who works a fruit cart stand on 41st Street and Seventh Avenue, said a woman who appeared to know the second victim care for him.
“I heard a lady screaming and then people were running like crazy. I went outside [the cart],” he said. “I saw an old guy, like 60, Asian. He was standing, holding his back.”
“He got stabbed. His wife was trying to stop the bleeding. She was using a book or some paper, then someone gave her a scarf. I gave him a paper towel. His wife told him to lay on the floor,” he added.
The incident was recorded by officer’s body-worn cameras, with Mr Mamdani telling reporters the footage would soon be shared with the public.
Police have told onlookers to avoid the area during the police investigation.
Tom Harris, President of the Times Square Alliance, gave his condolences after the shocking stabbing.
He said: “Our hearts go out to the victims and their families at this time. We are thankful that once again the NYPD was swift to act and put themselves in harm’s way to stop the perpetrator before more were injured.”
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