A woman armed with two kitchen knives launched a random attack in New York City's Times Square on Monday, killing one person and wounding another before being fatally shot by police. The incident occurred just before 4:30 p.m. near a police substation outside One Times Square, the iconic building known for the annual New Year's Eve ball drop.
According to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the 49-year-old suspect from Queens pulled the knives from a shopping bag and stabbed a 68-year-old man in the abdomen as he exited a subway station with his wife. She then attacked a 32-year-old woman, stabbing her in the abdomen. The younger victim died from her injuries, while the older man is in stable condition.
Officers surrounded the suspect and attempted to get her to drop the knives before deploying a Taser, which also failed to stop her. Tisch reported that the suspect told officers, "I'm not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you," before advancing toward them with knives raised. Multiple officers then opened fire, with bystander video showing her falling to the ground, where she was handcuffed and given first aid. She was later pronounced dead.
Tisch described the attack as "random and unprovoked," occurring in "the heart of Times Square, the crossroads of the world." She noted that the suspect had a documented history of mental health contacts with police in 2018 and 2019, but no prior arrests. Investigators do not believe the attack was terrorism-related, and victims' identities have not been released pending family notification.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani told a news conference, "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." Both Mamdani and Tisch credited the responding officers, saying their actions likely prevented further casualties.
The incident marks the second fatal stabbing in Times Square this year, following a similar attack in May, even as New York City's overall homicide rate has dropped sharply to one of its lowest totals in decades.
Source: www.dw.com