Officers Kill Woman After She Slashes 3-Year-Old at Omaha Walmart

Police in Omaha, Nebraska, shot and killed 31-year-old Noemi Guzman after she allegedly attempted to kidnap a 3-year-old boy and wounded him with a knife at a Walmart near 72nd and Pine streets on Tuesday morning. Officers confronted Guzman as she, the child's guardian, and the boy exited toward the parking lot, with the child already in a shopping cart. According to the Omaha Police Department, Guzman had stolen a kitchen knife from the store's shelves. When officers arrived and ordered her multiple times to drop the weapon, she instead began slashing the toddler across the face and hands. The entire encounter unfolded rapidly, with the chaotic scene captured in emergency dispatcher communications as officers coordinated their response. At least one officer opened fire, fatally striking Guzman. Despite life-saving efforts performed at the scene, she was pronounced dead. The rapid police response prevented further harm to the child, who was immediately transported to the hospital for treatment of his injuries. The 3-year-old boy's wounds were determined to be non-life-threatening, and medical officials expect a full recovery. Omaha police have since confirmed that surveillance video from inside the Walmart supports their account that the knife was shoplifted from the store. The incident remains under investigation by the department.