Woman Shot By Police After She Allegedly Tried To Kidnap 3-year-old Outside Walmart

A woman was shot by police in connection with the attempted abduction of a 3-year-old boy. According to a press release, the woman cut the child's face while trying to kidnap him at a Walmart in Omaha, Nebraska.

The incident unfolded on April 14. When the woman refused to drop the knife she had stolen from the store to hurt the boy, two officers shot her.

Noemi Guzman, 31, made repeated threats to the police officers after she was caught in the act. That's when the cops opened fire, according to the authorities. The 3-year-old sustained a large injury on his face.

He was immediately taken to a hospital. In a press conference, Omaha Deputy Police Chief Scott Gray said that he is expected to recover soon, as his injury is non-life-threatening. In an X (formerly Twitter) post, the police department noted that no officers were harmed during the encounter.

Gray said, around 9:13 a.m. on Tuesday, officers received a call to the store, which is located on 72nd and Pine streets. It was a woman who reported the incident over the phone. According to the police chief, "Another voice could be heard in the background, saying, 'Stop. Keep walking.'"

Officers arrived at the scene about 7 minutes later. They spotted a woman outside the store "holding a knife to a 3-year-old child that was in a shopping cart." Gray said, "The officers gave the suspect commands. There is video that shows the suspect swiping the knife at the child, cutting him across the face. Officers at that time, at least one officer, fired their weapon, and the suspect is deceased at this scene."

According to the press release, the boy was with a caretaker inside the store when the woman approached them and threatened them with a knife. Then, she "took possession of the child, essentially kidnapping the child." She also asked the caretaker to walk out of the store.

According to Gray, she stole the knife from the walmart. However, there is no indication that she was familiar with the child or his caretaker, making it unclear why she approached them at all.

Outside the Walmart store, the woman had a "verbal back-and-forth" with the boy's caretaker until police arrived at the scene. An Wlamart sokeperson has lamented that "violence like this is unacceptable."

The store is assisting the police with the subsequent investigation.