Harrowing NYPD body-camera video released Friday shows the moments leading up to the fatal police shooting of a knife-wielding woman in Times Square last month.
The footage shows officers pleading with Pamela Cisneros, a Queens mother of three with a history of mental health issues, to drop two knives at 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue. Police said the confrontation followed a random stabbing spree on Aug. 31 that left two people attacked.
According to police, Cisneros pulled two knives from a red Target bag and stabbed 68-year-old Tak Kam in the abdomen as he left the subway on West 41st Street and waited to cross the road.
She then moved toward 42nd Street, where she stabbed 32-year-old Erin Piacenti, a Bank of America executive who had recently returned from maternity leave. Piacenti died in the attack.
Officers Ryan Brito and Francis Gagliano were the first to confront the 49-year-old Cisneros. In the video, they repeatedly urged her to put down the knife and try to breathe.
“Put the knife down,” Brito told Cisneros as she held two kitchen knives in front of her chest.
“Come and get me,” Cisneros responded. “I don’t want to get you,” Gagliano replied.
“I’m tired of this world already,” Cisneros said. “Tired of this s–t.”
“I get it, I understand … I understand, but why? What’s going on?” Brito asked. The officers continued telling Cisneros to calm down and breathe as he tried to connect with her emotionally.
“I get it. The world is hard. Especially New York City. I know New York City is hard. Trust me, we all suffer,” Brito said.
“You believe in God?” he asked. Cisneros answered, “No. Not anymore.”
“You’re going to have to kill me. Yes, you are,” she told the officers. “Either that, or I’m going to kill all of you.”
“Listen, I know you’re going through a lot, but it’s not worth it,” Brito pleaded. “It’s not worth it. I promise you.”
Additional officers arrived and repeatedly ordered Cisneros to release the knives.
“I’m not dropping anything,” Cisneros said.
She began circling the two knives at her side, prompting officers to deploy multiple Tasers.
The Tasers appeared to have little effect. Cisneros then charged toward the officers while screaming.
Officers Joseph O’Connor and Steven Darcy fired three rounds at Cisneros. She fell forward onto the sidewalk.
Cisneros was taken to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Police records show that Cisneros had a documented mental health history, including a previous suicide attempt.
