Times Square stabbing in NYC leaves 1 dead, assailant killed

A stabbing incident in New York City's Times Square on Monday resulted in one death and one serious injury, police reported. The assailant, a 49-year-old woman from Queens, fatally wounded a 68-year-old man with two kitchen knives before attacking another victim. The attack took place near a police substation outside One Times Square, the iconic location famous for the New Year's Eve ball drop.

The woman had concealed the knives in a shopping bag and used them to stab the first victim in the abdomen as he exited a subway station with his wife. She then turned her attention to a 32-year-old woman, inflicting another stab wound.

Both victims were rushed to the hospital; the older man is now in stable condition, while the younger woman tragically died from her injuries. The suspect refused to surrender, telling officers, "I'm not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you," before advancing with the knives raised. Despite attempts to subdue her with a Taser, which failed, multiple officers eventually opened fire.

Bystander video captured her falling to the ground as officers handcuffed her and provided medical assistance. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident as "an extraordinarily dangerous situation" unfolding in the bustling heart of Times Square, emphasizing that the attack was random and unprovoked. Tisch also noted that the suspect had a documented history of mental health-related contacts with the police, including incidents in 2018 and 2019, but no prior arrests. Police have ruled out a terrorist motive, and the victims' identities have not been released pending notification of their families.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the tragedy, expressing deep sympathy for the affected families and reaffirming the city's commitment to supporting them through the aftermath. Both Mamdani and Tisch praised the responding officers, crediting their actions for potentially preventing further casualties. This incident marked the second fatal stabbing in Times Square this year, following another similar attack in May, despite a statewide decrease in New York City's overall homicide rate, which has reached one of its lowest levels in decades.