Police fatally shot Pamela Cisneros in Times Square after she stabbed two bystanders along Seventh Avenue. Cisneros attacked a 68-year-old man, who survived, and a 32-year-old woman, who later died from her injuries. Both attacks occurred within twenty seconds of each other.
Officers confronted Cisneros and ordered her to drop the weapons. After a taser failed to stop her as she advanced, officers shot her. Officials noted Cisneros had a documented mental health history, no prior arrest record, and the incident is not believed to be terrorism.
On August 31st, reports of a woman wielding two knives in Times Square. The incident occurred at roughly 4:24 PM along Seventh Avenue between West 41st and West 43rd. The woman now identified as Pamela Cisneros of Queens was fatally shot just four minutes after police arrived.
“I want to thank the NYPD officers who stepped in and prevented a horrific attack from becoming even worse. This is what the men and women of this department do every single day to keep our city safe” – Mayor Mamdani
During the press conference, Mamdani promised a release of the body camera footage to the public.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that calls entered the 911 center of reports of a woman holding two knives stabbing people along 7th Ave.
The incident began when Cisneros allegedly stabbed a 68-year-old man who exited the subway standing with his wife, waiting to cross the street along West 41st St. The stab wound was in the right side of the man’s abdomen. A witness told officers he saw Cisneros pull two knives from a red Target bag before approaching the first victim. The man was moved to Bellevue Hospital and is currently in stable condition.
Following the initial stabbing, Cisneros proceeded on 7th Ave toward 42nd St., where she approached a thirty-two-year-old woman who was also stabbed in the abdomen. The thirty-two-year-old victim was moved to Bellevue Hospital, where she was pronounced deceased.
The incidents were captured on the NYCPD ArcGIS surveillance system. ArcGIS is a citywide network of cameras offering a live feed for responders to surveil public space and traffic conditions.
Both stabbings occurred within twenty seconds of each other. At this time the victims are have not been named publicly due to pending family notification.
Cisneros continued northbound on 7th Avenue, where witnesses flagged down police, who encountered Cisneros between West 42nd and West 43rd St., where she was still armed with both knives, which have been recovered.
The officers engaged Cisneros in dialogue for four minutes, issuing multiple commands to drop the knives, which she refused. Commissioner Tisch alleged Cisneros responded, “I’m not dropping anything, I rather kill both of you” She repeated, “I will kill you”. Cisneros began advancing toward officers, and then the officers deployed a nonlethal taser, which proved ineffective in stopping the attacker. Following this, two officers discharged their weapons, striking Cisneros.
Tisch stated Cisernos had a documented mental health history with NYPD during an incident in 2018 and one in 2019. Cisneros has no arrest history. Tisch stated at this stage of the investigation it is not believed the attack was an act of terrorism.
“This was an extraordinarily dangerous situation unfolding in the heart of Times Square, the crossroads of the world” – Jessica Tisch
This story will be updated as new information becomes available.