A woman was shot by NYPD officers near Times Square on Monday after she allegedly stabbed two people and then confronted police while carrying two knives, authorities said.
A police shooting near Times Square in Manhattan sent emergency crews into the busy Midtown area Monday afternoon after a woman allegedly attacked two people with knives before officers opened fire.
The incident happened around 4:27 p.m. near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue, according to police.
Authorities said the woman had allegedly stabbed a man and a woman before fleeing north toward an NYPD substation. Officers then confronted her, and police said she refused commands to drop the knives.
Police fired their weapons during the confrontation.
The woman and the two people who were stabbed were all transported to hospitals with life-threatening injuries, according to WABC.
What Happened Near Times Square?
The incident began with reports of a person with a knife in the area of West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue.
According to police sources cited by multiple outlets, the woman was carrying two knives and allegedly stabbed two people before police arrived.
She then fled north toward an NYPD stationhouse.
Officers encountered her near the police substation and ordered her to put down the knives.
Video obtained by CBS News New York showed the woman, wearing a peach-colored shirt, holding two knives and moving toward officers.
A witness told CBS that police repeatedly told the woman to drop the weapons before gunfire broke out.
The exact sequence of events leading to the shooting remains under investigation.
Where Did the Times Square Police Shooting Happen?
The shooting occurred in the West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue area of Manhattan, close to the heart of Times Square.
The location is one of New York City’s busiest tourist and commercial areas.
Following the shooting, police closed off part of the area while investigators worked at the scene.
The NYPD warned the public to expect traffic delays, road closures and mass-transit disruptions around 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue and urged people to avoid the area.
How Many People Were Injured?
Three people were transported to area hospitals following the incident.
The injured included:
- The woman who was shot by police
- A man who was allegedly stabbed
- A woman who was allegedly stabbed
WABC reported that all three were taken to hospitals with life-threatening injuries.
Other initial reports said the conditions of the injured were not immediately available, so authorities’ latest confirmed medical information should be treated as the most reliable update.
Why Did Police Shoot the Woman?
According to police sources, officers opened fire after confronting the woman while she was allegedly holding knives and refusing commands to put them down.
The woman had allegedly already stabbed two people before officers encountered her.
CBS News New York reported that witness video showed her approaching officers with two knives after police ordered her to drop them.
However, the NYPD shooting itself remains under investigation, and authorities have not released a complete account of every moment immediately before the officers fired.
That distinction is important: the available reports establish what police and witnesses have described, but investigators will determine the full circumstances of the shooting.
Was the Times Square Incident Terrorism?
At this stage, authorities do not believe the incident was a terrorist act, according to NBC News.
Officials were also investigating the woman’s mental-health history, NBC reported.
No motive for the alleged stabbings had been established in the initial reports.
The investigation is ongoing.
NYPD Warns of Traffic and Transit Disruptions
Because the shooting happened in one of Manhattan’s most heavily traveled areas, the police investigation caused disruptions around Times Square.
The NYPD posted a public warning telling people to avoid the area and expect:
- Traffic delays
- Road closures
- Mass-transit disruptions
- Emergency personnel in the area
The affected area centered around 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue.
What Happens Next in the Investigation?
The NYPD is continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding both the alleged stabbings and the officer-involved shooting.
Investigators will need to establish the sequence of events, including the initial attacks, the woman’s movement toward the police stationhouse, officers’ commands and the circumstances that led to the use of deadly force.
Authorities have not publicly identified the woman in the reports provided.
Further updates are expected as investigators release additional information and as officials provide updated conditions for the three injured people.
