Woman stabs two in Times Square, killing one, before being shot by police

Incident Overview

A 49-year-old woman from Queens stabbed two people in New York City's Times Square on Monday, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring a 68-year-old man, before being fatally shot by police. The attack unfolded next to a New York Police Department substation, just outside One Times Square, the building that hosts the city's annual New Year's Eve ball drop, according to officials.

The woman pulled two knives from a shopping bag and stabbed the 68-year-old man in the abdomen as he was waiting to cross the street with his wife, police said at a news conference Monday evening. She then stabbed the 32-year-old woman, also in the abdomen. Both victims were taken to the hospital, where the woman died and the man was reported in stable condition.

Police did not say whether the victims were tourists or city residents. Their names have not been released pending notification of next of kin.

Police Response

Videos posted on social media show a group of at least 10 officers gathered around the woman, who was holding two large kitchen knives. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said officers spent several minutes trying to convince her to drop the knives before deploying a Taser. The woman told officers, "I'm not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you," Tisch said.

The Taser did not incapacitate her, and the woman walked quickly toward the officers while waving the knives, according to video footage. Two officers then shot her. Bystander video shows the woman falling to the ground, where an officer handcuffed her and then rolled her onto her back to render first aid.

Tisch described the incident as "an extraordinarily dangerous situation unfolding in the heart of Times Square, the crossroads of the world." Police said there was no evidence suggesting the attack was a terrorist attack, and the investigation is ongoing.

Background and Reactions

The woman had a documented mental health history with the NYPD, including incidents in 2018 and 2019, but no arrest history with the department, Tisch said. She did not provide additional details.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said, "We know that those families' lives have been shattered by what took place today, and we will continue to hold them close as the hours and days and weeks continue from this moment."

The NYPD closed part of 7th Avenue and warned the public to stay away from the area as officers worked at the scene. Crime has fallen sharply in New York City so far this year, with murders down 24%, but this was the second killing in Times Square this year; a man was fatally stabbed in the area in May.