Police shoot woman after she seriously stabs two people in Times Square

Police shot a woman in New York’s Times Square after she allegedly attacked two people with knives, turning one of the city’s busiest tourist areas into a temporarily closed crime scene.

The victims, a man and a woman, suffered life-threatening injuries and were taken to hospital, as was the attacker, ABC7 reported, citing police sources. Authorities have not released further information about the victims.

The incident happened near 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue. It was initially reported as an armed robbery, but investigators later focused on the possibility of a random attack involving the woman’s apparent mental-health problems.

Videos posted on X by witnesses showed the woman approaching a group of officers while holding two knives. The officers ordered her to drop the weapons before opening fire. A witness told Pix11 that police first used a Taser, then fired two shots after the woman threatened officers. The woman wore jeans, a pink shirt and a cross-body bag, according to the videos.