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Suspect shot dead after fatal double stabbing in Times Square

A woman was killed and a man was injured in a random attack before police fatally shot the armed suspect.

The short version

  • A 49-year-old woman identified as Pamela Cisneros was shot and killed by police after allegedly stabbing two people in Times Square.
  • A 32-year-old female victim died from her injuries, while a 68-year-old male victim remains in stable condition.
  • The attack was described by officials as random and unprovoked, ending after police attempts to de-escalate with Tasers failed.

Key facts

  • The incident occurred on Wednesday afternoon along Seventh Avenue in Times Square, beginning around 4:24 p.m. local time.[BBC News]
  • According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the suspect, Pamela Cisneros, pulled two knives from a shopping bag and stabbed a 68-year-old man in the abdomen before walking up the street and stabbing a 32-year-old woman.[BBC News]
  • Responding officers negotiated with the suspect for four minutes, but she refused to drop her weapons, allegedly telling officers she would rather kill them.[BBC News]
  • Officers deployed Tasers, which were ineffective, before firing lethal shots at the suspect when she advanced toward them.[BBC News]
  • The 32-year-old victim and the suspect were both pronounced dead after being transported to Bellevue Hospital.[BBC News]
  • Police stated that Cisneros had no prior arrests but had a documented mental health history with the NYPD from incidents in 2018 and 2019.[BBC News]

Sources