A violent afternoon stabbing in the heart of Times Square left one woman dead and a man injured Monday, August 31, 2026, after police said a woman armed with two knives attacked pedestrians before she was fatally shot by NYPD officers.
According to the information provided, the incident began shortly after 4:20 p.m. near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue, an area typically crowded with tourists, workers and commuters. Investigators said 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens allegedly removed two knives from a shopping bag and attacked a 68-year-old man who had just exited the subway and was waiting to cross the street with his wife.
Police said Cisneros then moved north toward West 42nd Street, where she allegedly stabbed a 32-year-old woman. Authorities said the two attacks happened within approximately 20 seconds, leaving people in the busy entertainment district scrambling for safety.
The 32-year-old woman was rushed to Bellevue Hospital with serious stab wounds but later died from her injuries. Her identity has not been publicly released. The 68-year-old man was also taken to a hospital for treatment and was later reported to be in stable condition.
Officers subsequently located Cisneros near an NYPD substation in Times Square. Police said she was still holding the knives when officers confronted her and repeatedly ordered her to put the weapons down. According to authorities, officers spent roughly four minutes attempting to persuade her to surrender.
Police also deployed Tasers during the confrontation, but the effort did not stop Cisneros, authorities said. Officers ultimately opened fire, striking her. She was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the attacks as appearing to be random and unprovoked and said there was no indication at the time that the incident was connected to terrorism. Authorities also said Cisneros had a documented history of mental-health incidents but had no known prior arrests.
The fatal police shooting is now subject to a separate investigation, as is standard in officer-involved shootings. Investigators are expected to examine body-camera footage, surveillance video, witness statements and other evidence to establish precisely what happened during the confrontation and whether the use of deadly force complied with department procedures.
The violence sent shockwaves through Times Square, where large crowds are accustomed to seeing a heavy police presence but were suddenly confronted with a deadly attack in one of New York City’s most recognizable public spaces.
As investigators work to reconstruct the sequence of events, the family of the woman who died is mourning an unexpected loss, while the surviving victim continues to recover. Authorities have said additional information will be released as the investigation progresses.
