Unhinged middle-aged women are hitting the news feeds hard this month.  NYC police were forced to shoot a woman dead this week after she pulled two knives from a shopping bag in the middle of Times Square and went on a random stabbing spree. 

At least one 68-year-old man was severely injured and another 32-year-old female victim was killed after being stabbed in the abdomen. 

The shooting happened just before 4:30 p.m. next to a New York Police Department substation, just outside One Times Square, the building that hosts the city’s annual New Year’s Eve ball drop celebration. It is one of the most heavily trafficked and policed spots in all of New York. 

Police first deployed tasers, but they were ineffective.  The women, who remains unnamed by city authorities, charged at officers while swinging the knives wildly.  No possible motive for the attack has been given, though, these days, it's often the case that there is no coherent motive. 

The attacker's name has not been officially released, though some sources identify her as Pamela Cisneros.  Such info could be withheld for 48 hours or more if authorities have trouble finding and informing family members.  Confirmation of identity could also be delayed due to the woman's immigration status.

Police did not say if the stabbing victims were tourists or residents.  Videos posted on social media show a group of at least 10 officers gathered around the woman. Officers tried to convince her to drop the knives for several minutes before using a Taser.

The woman told them: “I’m not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you..."

A similar incident occurred in July in the Upper West Side when Raul Morales, 51, was charged with randomly stabbing two men.  Witnesses said he yelled “Allahu Akbar” during the attack. Mental health was cited and the event was swept under the rug by the media.