A 32-year-old woman was killed and another victim is in hospital following a stabbing in Times Square, New York City late on Monday afternoon. The suspect, a woman wielding two knives, was shot

The incident happened within approximately 20 seconds of each other and took place along Seventh Avenue in Times Square, near West 41st Street. The suspect approached a man who had just exited the subway and was standing with his wife waiting to cross the street, according to Tisch.

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

68-year-old man stabbed right side

The 68-year-old man was stabbed in the right side of his abdomen, in what appears to be a random and unprovoked attack. The suspect continued up Seventh Avenue towards 42nd Street, where she stabbed the second victim, who did not survive after being taken to hospital.

The suspect continued on Seventh Avenue, which is when police officers tried to get her to drop her weapons, speaking to her for four minutes.

"During the encounter she told the officers 'I'm not dropping anything, I'd rather kill both of you'," Tisch said. "She repeated 'I will kill you'", according to the NYPD commissioner. The suspect waved knives towards the officers, who then used Tasers, which were ineffective and did not stop her from heading towards them.

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NYPD officers then shot the woman, who was later also pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital.

The suspect was later 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, according to Tisch.

A tourist from Boston, Melinda Puzon, told the BBC's US reporting partner CBS News that she heard the shots and saw "so many people on the street". "It's very shocking," Puzon said.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani thanked NYPD officers who stepped in and "prevented a horrific attack from becoming even worse" during a news conference. The second victim, whose identity has not been released, is currently in stable condition at Bellevue Hospital.

The incident happened just days after the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, which took place on September 11, 2001. The NYPD has faced criticism in the past for its handling of mental health incidents and violent crimes, with some calling for greater training and resources to be allocated to officers.

The stabbing incident in Times Square is the latest in a series of violent crimes to take place in New York City in recent months. In January, a gunman opened fire on a crowd of people at a shooting range in Brooklyn, killing one person and injuring several others.

In February, a man was arrested for allegedly plotting to bomb a subway station in Manhattan.

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The NYPD has faced increased investigation in recent years over its response to violent crimes and mental health incidents. In 2020, the department implemented new policies aimed at reducing the use of force

"We will continue to work to improve our training and protocols to ensure that our officers are equipped to handle these types of situations effectively and safely," Tisch said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with the victims' families and loved ones, who are still reeling from this senseless act of violence."

The stabbing incident in Times Square is a reminder of the ongoing threat of violent crime in New York City and the need for continued vigilance and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the public. As the city continues to grapple with the aftermath of this incident, residents are left wondering how such an attack could have happened in one of the world's most iconic and safest cities.

"It's a very shocking thing," said Melinda Puzon, a tourist from Boston who witnessed the incident. "I'm still trying to process what happened." Puzon described seeing multiple people on the street as she heard the shots ring out, but was unable to get a closer look at the suspect or the victims.

"The NYPD has always been there for us, and they're doing everything they can to keep us safe," said Puzon. "But it's just one of those things that you never expect to happen in a place like Times Square, which is supposed to be so safe."