Woman randomly stabs 2 people in New York City’s Times Square, shot by police

A knife-wielding woman stabbed and killed a person and injured another in New York’s tourist-filled Times Square on Monday (August 31, 2026), 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.

Local news reports said the suspect was taken to hospital in critical condition.

Police reportedly do not believe the stabbing was terror-related.

An AFP journalist at the scene saw a large emergency services presence and officials inspecting a patch of blood in Times Square, a typically bustling hotspot for tourists.

One witness told local 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.

The New York Police Department described the incident as a “confirmed officer-involved shooting.”

“Right now, it’s still an active and ongoing investigation,” a spokeswoman told AFP at the time.