- Safiu Kehinde
A knife-wielding woman has been shot dead by police after allegedly stabbing one person to death in New York Times Square.
The woman wielding two knives was alleged to have stabbed two people in about 20 seconds on Monday afternoon before being neutralised by the police.
According to the CNN, the first victim, a 32-year-old woman, was stabbed in the abdomen and pronounced dead at a hospital.
The second victim, a 68-year-old man, was also stabbed in the abdomen in what appeared to be a “random and unprovoked attack,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, though he is currently in stable condition.
In the wake of the attack which occurred along the Seventh Avenue, one of the busiest pedestrian areas in the world, officers from the New York Police Department, NYPD, were swiftly deployed to contain the suspect.
Video of the encounter shared on X on Tuesday showed the middle-aged woman thrusting two knives towards the police officers.
After about four minutes of face-off with more officers surrounding her, the suspect charged towards the armed officers whose attempt to contain her with taser gun proved abortive.
One of the officers swiftly pulled out his gun and shot her dead on the spot to the bewilderment of several onlookers who were cordoned off from the crime scene.
According to the NYPD Commissioner,Tisch, the suspect, identified as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros, was given numerous commands to drop the knives, which she refused.
“I’m not dropping anything,” Cisneros said, according to Tisch. “I would rather kill both of you. I will kill you.”
Cisneros, who has a documented mental health history with the NYPD, stabbed both victims within approximately 20 seconds, according to Tisch.
“Our officers did exactly what they’re trained to do, and that is to protect themselves when a perpetrator, in this case, a woman, is coming at them armed with and waving two knives,” Tisch said.