Two dead in stabbing in New York's Times Square; suspect shot dead

A knife-wielding woman stabbed and killed two people in New York’s tourist-filled Times Square on Monday, before she was shot and killed by police.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced the deaths in a press conference, saying that the second victim was in stable condition in a hospital.

The attacker, identified as 49-year-old Queens resident Pamela Cisneros, who was known to have mental health issues, pulled two large knives from a bag bearing the logo of a well-known supermarket chain before threatening passersby in broad daylight, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

She then approached a 68-year-old man and stabbed him in the abdomen. Twenty seconds later, she attacked a 32-year-old woman, also stabbing her in the abdomen — wounds to which she later succumbed.

The victims’ identities are not being released pending notification of their families.

Police quickly intervened and tried to persuade Cisneros to drop her weapons.

“The officers engaged the woman in dialogue for four minutes and gave her numerous commands to drop the knives, which she refused,” Tisch said.

“During the encounter, she told the officers, ‘I’m not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you,’” Tisch added.

One witness told local TV outlet PIX11 that the suspect had two knives in her hands and was tased by police before she rushed at officers.

“They shot her twice,” said the unnamed witness.

Police confirmed that they had unsuccessfully used a stun gun before firing their handguns.

Local news reports said the suspect was pronounced dead at the hospital. Tisch said that they do not believe the attack was terror-related.

“This was an extraordinarily dangerous situation unfolding in the heart of Times Square, the crossroads of the world,” the police chief said.

“At any given moment, there are 1,000s of New Yorkers, commuters, tourists, families, workers moving through these streets.”

An AFP journalist at the scene saw a large emergency services presence and officials inspecting a patch of blood in Times Square.