Woman fatally stabs passerby in attack at New York’s Times Square
Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
- Police said a 49-year-old woman attacked two people with knives at Times Square, killing a 32-year-old woman.
- A 68-year-old man suffered a stab wound to the abdomen and was treated in hospital.
- Officers used Tasers before shooting the attacker, who police said had a history of mental illness; investigators said there was no indication of a terrorist motive.
A woman attacked two people with knives at New York’s Times Square within about 20 seconds, killing a 32-year-old woman and seriously alarming one of Manhattan’s busiest tourist areas.
Police Chief Jessica Tisch said the attacker also stabbed a 68-year-old man in the abdomen. He was taken to hospital, although police did not provide further details about his condition. Tisch described the incident as an apparently unprovoked knife attack.
an unprovoked knife attack
Police officers first tried to speak with the woman after bystanders raised the alarm, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. The situation escalated when she refused to drop the knives and threatened officers, saying, “I will kill you.” Police used Tasers and then shot her.
Online videos showed a woman approaching officers with two knives. Tisch identified the attacker as a 49-year-old from Queens and said she had a history of mental illness. Police withheld the identities of the victims until relatives could be notified. The investigation continued, but authorities said nothing at that point indicated terrorism. Officers cordoned off the scene and closed nearby streets.
I will kill you
Originally published by Neue Zürcher Zeitung in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.