Omaha police officers shot and killed 31-year-old Noemi Guzman on Tuesday morning after she slashed a 3-year-old boy with a knife in the parking lot of a Walmart store. The incident followed 911 calls reporting a woman armed with a large kitchen knife attacking a child. The boy's injuries are not life-threatening, and he is recovering after surgery.
The events unfolded shortly after 9 a.m. at the Walmart located at 1606 South 72nd Street in Omaha, Nebraska. According to the Omaha Police Department, Guzman had shoplifted a knife from the store. She then approached the boy and his guardian inside, brandished the weapon, and ordered them to walk around the store with the child in a shopping cart before exiting to the parking lot. There, she refused police commands to drop the knife and made threats, leading to the slash on the boy before officers opened fire, striking her. She was pronounced dead at the scene, while the guardian and a bystander pulled the child to safety. Police body camera stills show Guzman making a stabbing motion toward the boy, and surveillance video confirmed she stole the knife used in the attack. The boy's parents shared photos of gashes above his ear and on his hand with local station KETV. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer commended the officers, saying, 'The responding officers acted with professionalism and direct action to intervene and save a child's life.' He added that 'Omaha police officers stand ready to act with courage and decisiveness in the most serious situations to protect the public.' Mayor John W. Ewing Jr. thanked the department, stating, 'I am grateful for the department's professionalism and transparency,' and noted their action prevented a larger tragedy. Authorities said it remains unclear why Guzman targeted the guardian and child.