Officers fatally shot a woman accused of cutting a 3-year-old boy with a knife during an alleged kidnapping attempt at a Walmart in Nebraska, police say
Police officers fatally shot a woman accused of cutting a 3-year-old boy with a knife during an alleged abduction attempt at a Walmart in Nebraska, according to police.***WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS GRAPHIC DETAILS. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED***
Officers arrived at the Walmart, located near 72nd and Pine streets, at 9:20 a.m. after receiving a call asking for police, Omaha police said.
Investigators said officers arrived at the location and immediately found 31-year-old Noemi Guzman near the southern parking lot entry, standing by a shopping cart with the child inside.
Omaha police said Guzman was making multiple threats with the knife, and officers gave multiple verbal commands for her to drop the knife. She refused to drop it and cut the boy, officials said.
The two officers fired their service weapons and hit Guzman, Omaha police said. A caretaker for the child and a bystander immediately removed the child from the cart and rendered aid.
Officials said the officers began lifesaving measures on Guzman, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Omaha police said it appears the child will survive and is being treated at the hospital. As of Tuesday afternoon, the mother of the child told Omaha sister station KETV that the boy is out of surgery.
Video below: Omaha family gives update on boy slashed during attempted abduction
Investigators said store surveillance footage shows Guzman had shoplifted a large kitchen knife from inside the store. She approached the child and the caretaker in a shopping aisle, showing the knife and forcing the caretaker to walk ahead of the cart while the child remained inside.
Guzman directed them through the store and into the parking lot, Omaha police said. Officers arrived at the scene shortly after Guzman, the caretaker and the child exited the store and started walking toward the parking lot entrance.
'The responding officers acted with professionalism and direct action to intervene and save a child's life,' Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said in a statement. 'The community can be reassured in knowing that Omaha police officers stand ready to act with courage and decisiveness in the most serious situations to protect the public.'
Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. thanked the officers for their quick action.
'I am grateful for the department's professionalism and transparency,' Ewing said.
Video below: 'She's cutting my son': Bystander describes chaotic scene, helping child kidnapped at Walmart
The incident is still under investigation. Omaha police said the officers have been placed on paid critical incident leave, as is department policy.
Officials said moments from the incident were captured on the officers' body-worn cameras and other surveillance cameras.
Omaha police asked any witnesses who observed or recorded Guzman's actions during the incident to contact the department. Omaha police have also confirmed to KETV that officers had contact with the suspect, identified as 31-year-old Noemi Guzman, Tuesday morning before everything unfolded at Walmart.
It's not clear when or where that interaction took place.
A Walmart spokesperson told sister station KETV that: 'Violence like this is unacceptable. We're working with police and supporting them in their investigation.' The store has since reopened to the public.
KETV also reports that Omaha police confirmed Guzman is the same woman accused of stabbing her father and breaking into the rectory of an Omaha church.
In 2024, investigators said Guzman doused her father with a flammable liquid and cut him with a knife.
She then reportedly left and broke into St. Francis Cabrini Church, where investigators said she had a knife and was destroying property in the rectory.
A priest inside barricaded himself in a second-floor room and called 911. Omaha police said Guzman broke through the door with a knife just as crews were getting the priest out through the window.
Guzman pleaded not guilty to charges of assault, arson, burglary, and criminal mischief and a judge ordered her released on a bond that doesn't require a bond amount to be paid. She was ordered no contact with her parents, the church, or its pastor.
Incident Injury Omaha Police Shooting Walmart Officer Suspect Child Gray Omaha Caretaker Walmart Police Knife Woman 3-Year-Old Shot Scene Shopping Cart Deadly Incident Shnd Female Suspect Omaha Police Nebraska Walmart Store Face Left Side
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