Authorities said a 3-year-old boy is expected to survive after a stranger allegedly took him at knifepoint and cut his face.
OMAHA, Neb. — Omaha police shot and killed a 31-year-old woman Tuesday after authorities said she took a 3-year-old boy at knifepoint from inside a Walmart and slashed him outside the store as officers rushed in.
The attack unfolded in broad daylight at the Walmart near 72nd and Pine Streets, turning an ordinary shopping trip into a hostage situation that ended within seconds of police arriving. Investigators said the woman, identified by local reports as Noemi Guzman, appeared to act alone. The boy suffered a deep cut across the left side of his face and an injury to one hand, but police said he is expected to survive. The shooting is now under review by Omaha police with help from other Nebraska agencies.
Deputy Chief Scott Gray said officers were sent to the store at about 9:20 a.m. after a broken and unclear 911 call asking for police. By then, investigators believe the suspect had already entered the store alone, taken a large kitchen knife from inside and approached a female shopper who was with the child. Gray said the suspect forced the caretaker to walk in front of a shopping cart while she controlled the boy at knifepoint. The group moved out of the store and down a driveway, where the caretaker and suspect argued for several minutes. “The suspect produced a large knife inside the store and took possession of the child, essentially kidnapping the child,” Gray said.
When two officers reached the scene, Gray said, they found the child still in the cart and the suspect holding the knife on him. Police gave repeated commands, but the confrontation tightened almost immediately. Gray said video from body-worn cameras and store security shows the suspect swiping the knife at the child and cutting him across the face. At least one officer then opened fire. The woman died at the scene. Police have not said how many shots were fired or whether one officer or both officers shot. Authorities also have not explained what first led the suspect to target the caregiver and child, and Gray said investigators do not believe the women knew each other before the encounter.
Investigators said much of what happened inside the store went unnoticed because the movement did not look chaotic at first. Gray said the suspect and caretaker appeared to leave in a way that did not immediately draw attention from staff or shoppers. That detail has become part of the larger question in the case: how a stranger could take control of a child in a busy retail setting without triggering an instant response. Police said the store was largely empty as officers secured the area, separated witnesses and reviewed surveillance video. Local television reports said the boy was taken to Children’s Hospital for surgery, and his family later said he was out of surgery. Walmart called the violence unacceptable and said it was working with law enforcement.
The shooting now enters the standard review process that follows an officer-involved death, but the case also remains a violent assault investigation centered on the attack on the child. Omaha police said Nebraska State Patrol and the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office are assisting with the evidence review, including body-camera footage and store video. Officials have not announced whether the officers involved have been placed on leave, and they have not released additional findings about the suspect’s motive or mental state. Police said the attack appears to have been an isolated incident and that there is no continuing threat to the public. More records, including formal investigative summaries, are expected as agencies complete interviews and video analysis.
Outside the store, the scene drew a heavy police response and left neighbors and workers trying to process how quickly the violence erupted. Yellow tape blocked part of the lot while officers moved witness by witness through the morning. Gray said the officers arrived without knowing exactly what they would find because the emergency call was hard to understand. Minutes later, they were facing a child in immediate danger. Body-camera stills later released by police showed the suspect with the knife raised over the boy as an officer aimed his weapon. The images, along with the account from officers and the child’s hospitalization, turned a local store parking lot into the focus of a statewide criminal and internal investigation.
By Tuesday night, the boy was alive and recovering after surgery, the suspect was dead, and investigators were still reviewing video and witness accounts to map the final seconds before police fired. The next milestone is the release of more detailed findings from Omaha police and the assisting agencies.
Author note: Last updated April 15, 2026.