Woman killed in Times Square stabbing, suspect shot dead by police

In practice, a 32-year-old woman was killed and another victim is in hospital after a stabbing in Times Square, New York City late on Wednesday afternoon.

Key points

• New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the attack "an unprovoked double stabbing" that took place within approximately 20 seconds of each other.
• The suspect was afterwards identified as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens, New York City.
• Police believe the incident began near West 41st Street and Seventh Ave.
• The suspect continued up Seventh Avenue towards 42nd Street.
• A tourist from Boston, Melinda Puzon, informed the BBC's US reporting partner CBS News that she heard the shots and saw "so many people on the street".

In practice, the suspect, a woman wielding two knifes, was shot by police. All three individuals were taken to hospital, where the female victim and the suspect were afterwards pronounced dead, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani informed a news conference.

Mamdani remarked the second victim is in a "stable condition". He additionally thanked NYPD officers for preventing a "horrific attack from becoming even worse".

Citing preliminary information, Tisch remarked the NYPD call centre received a number of 911 calls at approximately 16: 24 local time (21: 00 BST) reporting a woman armed with two knives was stabbing individuals along Seventh Avenue in Times Square.

In practice, the suspect approached a man who had just exited the subway and was standing with his wife waiting to cross the street, Tisch informed a news conference.

A witness at the scene informed investigators that he observed the subject remove two knives from a red Target bag before approaching the first victim.

"The subject waved the knives before stabbing a 68-year-old man in the right side of his abdomen, in what appears to be a random and unprovoked attack." The 68-year-old was taken to Bellevue Hospital and is now stable.

For context, the suspect continued up Seventh Avenue towards 42nd Street. It is where she stabbed the second victim, who did not survive after being taken to hospital.

Meanwhile, the suspect continued on Seventh Avenue. It is when police tried to obtain her to drop her weapons, speaking to her for four minutes, the NYPD commissioner stated.

"During the encounter she informed the officers 'I'm not dropping anything, I'd rather kill both of you'. She repeated 'I will kill you'", Tisch remarked.

In practice, the suspect waved knives towards the officers. This person then applied Tasers, which were "ineffective" and did not stop her from heading towards them.

NYPD officers then shot the woman. This person was afterwards additionally pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital.

For context, the suspect was afterwards identified as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens, New York City. She had never been arrested but had a "documented mental health history with the NYPD, with one incident in 2018 and one in 2019", Tisch continued.

Meanwhile, a tourist from Boston, Melinda Puzon, informed the BBC's US reporting partner CBS News that she heard the shots and saw "so many people on the street".

For now, woman killed in Times Square stabbing, suspect shot dead by police remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.