The incident unfolded Monday afternoon near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue. Police said a 49-year-old Queens woman, identified as Pamela Cisneros, attacked two people with knives before officers confronted her near an NYPD substation.
One of the stabbing victims, a 32-year-old woman, died at Bellevue Hospital. The second victim, a 68-year-old man, survived and remained in stable condition after suffering an abdominal wound.
Cisneros also died after officers fired their weapons when she advanced toward them while holding two knives. Police said officers had first spent several minutes ordering her to drop the weapons and attempted to stop her with Tasers.
What Happened in Times Square
The violence began shortly after 4:20 p.m. Monday in the area of West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue, police said.
Investigators determined that Cisneros approached a 68-year-old man who had recently exited a subway station. He was standing with his wife while waiting to cross the street.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said a witness reported seeing Cisneros remove two knives from a red shopping bag before approaching the man.
The woman allegedly waved the knives and then stabbed the man in the abdomen. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital for treatment and was later listed in stable condition.
Cisneros then moved toward another person nearby. Police said she stabbed a 32-year-old woman in the abdomen.
The second victim was transported to Bellevue Hospital. She later died from her injuries.
Police described the attacks as random and unprovoked. Investigators have not identified a clear motive for the violence.
Police Confronted the Suspect Near an NYPD Substation
After the stabbings, Cisneros continued north on Seventh Avenue.
Witnesses alerted nearby officers, who located her between West 42nd and West 43rd streets. The location was close to an NYPD substation and One Times Square.
Police said she was still carrying both knives when officers confronted her.
The encounter lasted several minutes. Tisch said officers repeatedly instructed Cisneros to put down the weapons.
She refused to comply, police said.
Authorities said Cisneros then began waving the knives and moved toward the officers. Multiple officers deployed Tasers in an effort to stop her, but the devices did not incapacitate her.
Two officers eventually fired their service weapons.
Video from the scene showed a large group of officers surrounding the woman. After she fell, officers moved in, handcuffed her and provided medical assistance before she was taken to Bellevue Hospital.
Cisneros was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Why Police Opened Fire
The circumstances surrounding the police shooting are now a major part of the investigation.
Officials have said officers confronted a person who was visibly armed with two knives and who had already injured two people.
Police also said she continued moving toward officers after repeated commands to drop the weapons and after attempts to stop her with Tasers.
The use of deadly force will still undergo an investigation, as is standard after an officer-involved shooting in New York City.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch both expressed support for the officers’ response while the investigation proceeds.
The mayor said officers intervened quickly and prevented the attack from becoming worse.
Body-camera footage is expected to play an important role in the review of the officers’ actions. Police officials said the confrontation was captured on officers’ body cameras.
Who Was Pamela Cisneros?
Police identified the woman involved in the attack as Pamela Cisneros, a 49-year-old resident of Queens.
Officials said she had a documented history of mental-health-related encounters with the NYPD, including incidents in 2018 and 2019.
Police said she did not have an arrest history with the department.
Authorities have not announced a confirmed motive for Monday’s attacks. Officials also said there was no indication that the incident was terrorism-related.
Those findings are important because the attack occurred in an exceptionally crowded part of Manhattan. Times Square attracts large numbers of tourists, workers and commuters throughout the day.
Investigators continue to examine what led to the initial attacks and whether additional information could explain the circumstances surrounding them.
Victims in the Times Square Attack
Two people were stabbed before police confronted Cisneros.
The first victim was a 68-year-old man who suffered an abdominal injury. He received medical treatment and was reported to be in stable condition.
The second victim was a 32-year-old woman who suffered an abdominal wound. She was transported to Bellevue Hospital but later died.
Authorities have not publicly released the victims’ names.
The deaths transformed what initially appeared to be a rapidly developing street attack into a fatal incident involving three deaths: the female stabbing victim, the woman police shot, and the suspect.
Police and city officials have expressed condolences to the family of the woman who died in the attack.
Times Square Streets Were Closed
The police response resulted in significant disruption around the area.
Parts of Seventh Avenue were closed as officers investigated the scene. Police also advised members of the public to avoid the immediate area while emergency personnel worked.
The NYPD warned of traffic delays, road closures and possible mass-transit disruptions near 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue.
The location is particularly sensitive because of its heavy pedestrian traffic. A police investigation in the middle of Times Square can quickly affect surrounding streets and sidewalks.
By Tuesday, the main focus had shifted from emergency response to the investigation into the stabbing and subsequent police shooting.
What Video Shows About the Police Encounter
Video recorded around the scene has become an important part of the public understanding of the confrontation.
Footage showed numerous officers surrounding Cisneros while she held two large knives.
At least one officer appeared to use a Taser. The attempt did not stop her movement.
The footage then showed Cisneros moving toward officers while holding the knives. Several officers drew their firearms, and gunshots followed.
After she fell, officers approached her and began providing assistance.
Police Commissioner Tisch has also said that body-camera footage captured the encounter. That footage is expected to help investigators establish the sequence of commands, less-lethal efforts and gunfire.
Because the official investigation remains active, individual moments seen in publicly circulated videos do not by themselves establish every detail of what happened.
Authorities will compare video evidence with witness statements, officer accounts and other investigative evidence.
No Terrorism Connection Has Been Identified
Officials have not found evidence connecting the attack to terrorism.
Police have characterized the stabbings as random and unprovoked. Investigators have also said there is no known terrorist motive at this stage.
That distinction matters because Times Square is a major tourist destination and has historically received extensive security attention.
The incident took place near One Times Square, the landmark building associated with New York City’s annual New Year’s Eve celebration.
Despite the highly visible location, officials have not described the attack as part of a coordinated or ideological operation. The investigation instead remains focused on the suspect, the two stabbing attacks and the subsequent confrontation with police.
NYPD Investigation Continues
The investigation now has several separate components.
Detectives must establish the exact sequence of the two stabbings. Investigators are also reviewing how officers located Cisneros, what commands they issued, how the less-lethal tactics were used and what happened immediately before the officers fired.
The officer-involved shooting itself will be reviewed under standard investigative procedures.
Body-camera recordings, surveillance video and witness accounts can help investigators reconstruct the incident.
Police will also continue examining the suspect’s background and the circumstances that preceded the attack.
At this stage, authorities have not announced a criminal charge against anyone because the person identified as the attacker died during the confrontation.
The investigation into the officers’ use of deadly force remains separate from the investigation into the stabbing deaths.
How the Incident Began
The timeline released by police provides a clearer picture of how quickly the situation developed.
A preliminary sequence is:
- Around 4:24 p.m.: Police received emergency calls involving a woman armed with knives in Times Square.
- Near West 41st Street: The suspect approached a 68-year-old man and stabbed him in the abdomen.
- Moments later: A 32-year-old woman was stabbed in the abdomen.
- After the attacks: The suspect continued north along Seventh Avenue.
- Near West 42nd and West 43rd streets: Officers located and confronted her.
- Several minutes later: Officers attempted verbal commands and used Tasers.
- During the confrontation: The woman advanced toward officers while holding the knives.
- Police shooting: Two officers fired their service weapons.
- After the shooting: Officers provided medical assistance and transported the woman to Bellevue Hospital.
- Later Monday: Police confirmed that the suspect and one stabbing victim had died.
The precise timing of individual actions remains subject to the continuing investigation.
A Separate Times Square Shooting Happened Earlier in 2026
The August 31 incident is not the only time gunfire has caused panic in Times Square this year.
On June 18, a separate shooting occurred after a dispute involving a group of people. Police said a 26-year-old man was slashed in the neck before a 17-year-old allegedly opened fire.
The incident occurred only hours after a parade celebrating the New York Knicks’ NBA championship victory.
Crowds scattered after shots were fired, and a teenager was taken into custody.
That June incident was separate from the August 31 police shooting. The two cases involved different circumstances and occurred weeks apart.
Keeping the incidents separate is important because online searches for the term can combine reports about different events.
The latest incident involved a woman accused of stabbing two people before police shot her. The June shooting involved gunfire following a dispute and resulted in a separate police investigation.
What Officials Have Confirmed So Far
The latest confirmed information establishes several key facts.
| Detail | Confirmed information |
|---|---|
| Location | Times Square, Manhattan |
| Date | August 31, 2026 |
| Initial emergency reports | About 4:24 p.m. |
| Suspect | Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens |
| Weapons | Two knives |
| Stabbing victims | One man and one woman |
| Male victim | 68, hospitalized and stable |
| Female victim | 32, died at Bellevue Hospital |
| Police action | Officers used Tasers and later fired service weapons |
| Suspect outcome | Died at Bellevue Hospital |
| Terrorism connection | None identified |
| Investigation status | Ongoing |
The information remains subject to change as investigators review evidence and release additional findings.
What Happens Next
The immediate emergency response has ended, but the investigation is continuing.
Authorities are expected to examine body-camera footage and other video recordings to establish the precise circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Investigators will also continue reviewing witness accounts and the sequence of the stabbing attacks.
The officer-involved shooting will receive its own review. That process is intended to determine whether the officers’ actions complied with department policies and applicable law.
Officials have not indicated that the incident was terrorism-related, and investigators have not announced a confirmed motive for the initial attacks.
For now, the clearest confirmed account is that Cisneros attacked two people with knives in Times Square, then encountered police while still armed. Officers attempted to stop her with verbal commands and Tasers before two officers fired their weapons as she advanced toward them.
Latest Times Square Shooting Update
As of September 1, one stabbing victim has died, another remains hospitalized in stable condition, and the woman identified as the attacker has also died after being shot by NYPD officers.
The police investigation remains active. Officials are reviewing the use of deadly force, while detectives continue examining the circumstances that led to the stabbings.
No terrorism connection has been identified, and authorities have not announced a clear motive.
The incident has drawn renewed attention because it occurred in the middle of one of New York City’s most recognizable and heavily visited public spaces.
For residents, workers and visitors who were in the area, the sudden violence also demonstrated how quickly an ordinary afternoon in Times Square can turn into a major emergency response.
What do you think about the latest developments in Times Square? Share your thoughts below and stay updated as investigators release more confirmed information.