Bank of America Vice President Killed in Times Square Stabbing
Was the use of lethal force justified or was this bad policing?
Above: Police secure the scene in New York City's Times Square after a woman stabbed two people on Aug. 31. Image credit: Selcuk Acar/Anadolu/Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The NYPD deserve to be thanked for their actions in stopping a horrific attack from becoming even worse. While an investigation will be held and the bodycam footage will be released to the public, police were fully entitled to use lethal force on this occasion.
Establishment-critical narrative
Police could have easily subdued the mentally ill woman but instead chose to dangerously discharge their weapons in a busy Times Square. This is embarrassingly poor policing.
Metaculus Prediction
There's a 50% chance that the U.S. murder rate will be at least 4.45 per 100,000 inhabitants in 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Public Figures
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation. All rights reserved.Version 7.4.1
© 2026 Improve the News Foundation.
All rights reserved.
Version 7.4.1