Two people have died following a stabbing attack in New York City’s Times Square after a knife-wielding woman allegedly attacked two people before being shot and killed by police.

The incident occurred on Monday afternoon in the busy tourist district near West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue, according to police and local officials. Authorities described the attack as random and unprovoked.

Police said the woman, identified by authorities as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens, was armed with two large knives when she attacked a 68-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman.

The 32-year-old woman suffered fatal stab wounds and later died at a hospital. The 68-year-old man was also taken to hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.

Officers confronted Cisneros shortly after the attacks and repeatedly ordered her to drop the knives. Police attempted to subdue her with Tasers, but the efforts were unsuccessful.

Authorities said the woman continued to pose a threat, prompting officers to open fire. She was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

The incident unfolded close to an NYPD substation in one of New York’s busiest public spaces, where large numbers of tourists and pedestrians were present.

Authorities said Cisneros had a history of mental health-related incidents but no previous arrests. Police have also said there is currently no indication that the attack was terrorism-related.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed condolences to the victims and praised the police response, while Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said officers had to act after attempts to stop the armed woman failed.

The circumstances surrounding both the stabbing and the police shooting remain under investigation. Body-camera footage of the confrontation is expected to form part of the review of the officers’ use of deadly force.

The attack has renewed concerns about public safety in Times Square, one of New York City’s most heavily visited tourist destinations, although officials have not indicated that the incident was connected to a wider security threat.