Additional Coverage:
A woman armed with a kitchen knife was fatally shot by police Tuesday after she slashed a 3-year-old boy seated in a shopping cart outside a Walmart in Omaha, Nebraska, according to authorities.
The woman, identified as 31-year-old Noemi Guzman, was shot after she refused to drop the knife and then cut the young child, the Omaha Police Department said in a press release.
The boy was quickly reunited with his guardian and taken to a hospital. Officials reported his injuries were not life-threatening.
The incident occurred Tuesday morning just before 9:15 a.m., when police responded to 911 calls about a woman wielding a large kitchen knife at the Walmart on 72nd Street.
Surveillance footage showed Guzman shoplifting the knife from inside the store before approaching the child and his guardian while brandishing the weapon, police said. Guzman reportedly forced the guardian to walk ahead of the cart, with the boy still inside, directing them through the store and into the parking lot where officers arrived shortly after.
According to the police statement, Guzman made multiple threats with the knife. Officers repeatedly commanded her to drop the weapon, but she refused and cut the boy. In response, the two patrol officers fired their service weapons, striking Guzman.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer praised the officers’ quick and professional response, emphasizing their commitment to protecting the public. “The community can be reassured knowing that Omaha police officers stand ready to act with courage and decisiveness in the most serious situations to protect the public,” he said.