A 32-year-old woman was killed and another victim is in hospital following a stabbing in Times Square, New York City late on Wednesday afternoon.
The suspect, a woman wielding two knifes, was shot by police. All three people were taken to hospital, where the female victim and the suspect were later pronounced dead, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani told a news conference.
Mamdani said the second victim is in a “stable condition”. He also thanked NYPD officers for preventing a “horrific attack from becoming even worse”.
New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the attack “an unprovoked double stabbing” that took place within approximately 20 seconds of each other.
Citing preliminary information, Tisch said the NYPD call centre received several 911 calls at approximately 16:24 local time (21:00 BST) reporting a woman armed with two knives was stabbing people along Seventh Avenue in Times Square.
Police believe the incident began near West 41st Street and Seventh Ave.
The suspect approached a man who had just exited the subway and was standing with his wife waiting to cross the street, Tisch told a news conference.
“A witness at the scene told investigators that he observed the subject remove two knives from a red Target bag before approaching the first victim.
“The subject waved the knives before stabbing a 68-year-old man in the right side of his abdomen, in what appears to be a random and unprovoked attack.”
The 68-year-old was taken to Bellevue Hospital and is now stable.