Woman goes on stabbing spree in Times Square (VIDEOS)

A knife-wielding woman has killed one person and wounded another in an apparently random stabbing attack in New York City’s Times Square before being shot dead by police.

The violence erupted at around 4:27pm on Monday near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue, one of the busiest intersections in Manhattan’s tourist district. The suspect, described by police as an “emotionally disturbed” woman, pulled two large kitchen knives from a shopping bag before attacking two passersby, according to an NYPD briefing.

Police said she stabbed a 68-year-old man in the abdomen before quickly turning on a 32-year-old woman and stabbing her in the abdomen as well. Both were rushed to hospital, where the woman died from her injuries. The man was listed in stable condition.

The attacker then fled toward the NYPD substation in Times Square, where officers confronted her while she was still armed with both knives.

Video from the scene shows officers repeatedly ordering the woman to drop the weapons. At least one officer deployed a Taser in an attempt to subdue her, but it failed to incapacitate her. The woman then advanced toward the officers while brandishing the knives, prompting several of them to open fire.

The suspect collapsed at the scene, where officers rendered first aid, and was taken to hospital. She later died from her injuries.

Footage from the scene showed a heavy police presence as streets surrounding the area were cordoned off while investigators worked at the scene.

Police have not publicly identified the attacker or her victims. Authorities said the attack appeared to have been random and was not believed to be terrorism-related. The motive remains under investigation.

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