In Nebraska, a woman was shot and killed by police after she allegedly slashed a toddler she had taken from Walmart with a knife, raising suspicions of kidnapping, according to body camera footage and police statements.
Officers were dispatched to a Walmart in Omaha around 9:10 a.m. due to reports of a woman carrying a “large kitchen knife” with a young child. The Omaha Police Department confirmed the incident.
The woman, identified as 31-year-old Noemi Guzman, appeared on surveillance footage stealing a knife from the store before approaching a 3-year-old boy and his guardian in an aisle.
Guzman reportedly wielded the knife, forcing the female shopper to walk ahead of her while the child remained in the cart. She then led them through the store and into the parking lot.
During a news briefing, Deputy Chief Scott Gray stated that Guzman “took the child in her hands and essentially kidnapped the child.”
When two officers arrived, they found Guzman in the parking lot next to a shopping cart with the child.
Body camera footage captured Guzman, with her dyed red hair and dressed in a purple tank top and plaid pants, threatening the toddler with the knife as one of the officers drew his weapon.
Despite officers pleading with her to drop the knife, Guzman continued to threaten the boy before injuring him. Two officers then fired their weapons, hitting Guzman, while bystanders quickly rescued the child from the cart and provided first aid.
Life-saving measures were attempted on Guzman, but she succumbed to her injuries at the scene.
The child suffered significant lacerations on the left side of his face and hand and is currently receiving treatment in a hospital but is expected to recover.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer commended the officers, saying they acted commendably to save the child’s life, adding that the community could take comfort in their bravery during critical incidents.
The Omaha Police Department’s Officer Involvement Investigation Team will collaborate with the Nebraska State Patrol and local sheriff’s offices to look into the matter further.
In their statement, the Omaha Police Department expressed condolences to Guzman’s family and friends during this challenging time.
