Photo: Omaha Police Department
A 31-year-old woman, Noemi Guzman, was fatally shot by Omaha police Tuesday (April 14) after she stabbed a three-year-old boy outside a Walmart on 72nd Street. According to the Omaha Police Department, officers responded just after 9 a.m. to reports of a woman armed with a large kitchen knife threatening a child and his guardian.
Police say store surveillance footage showed Guzman shoplifting the knife, then approaching the child and his guardian. She reportedly forced the guardian to walk ahead of the shopping cart with the boy still inside, directing them through the store and into the parking lot. Officers arrived and issued multiple commands for Guzman to drop the knife. When she refused and cut the boy across the face, two officers fired their weapons, striking Guzman.
The child, identified as Cyler Hillman, was taken to the hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. He has since been reunited with his family. His father, Casey Hillman, told reporters, "If the officers wouldn't have reacted when they did, we wouldn't still have him. And if she would have been any lower with the knife, we wouldn't have him either." His mother, Sara Hillman, added that the incident has been difficult for the family to process.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said, "The responding officers acted with professionalism and direct action to intervene and save a child's life. The community can be reassured in knowing that Omaha police officers stand ready to act with courage and decisiveness in the most serious situations to protect the public."
According to multiple reports, Guzman had prior arrests and was previously charged in 2024 after allegedly stabbing her father and breaking into St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church, where she barricaded herself and reportedly sprayed bear spray at authorities. She was released on her own recognizance while facing four felony charges after that incident.
As required when a person dies in police custody or during apprehension, the current case will be reviewed by a grand jury. The investigation is ongoing, according to the Omaha Police Department.