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Omaha Police Fatally Shoot Woman After Toddler Kidnapping

Published 15 April 2026

Omaha police officers fatally shot a woman on Tuesday morning after she allegedly kidnapped a toddler from a shopper inside a Walmart store and slashed the child with a knife outside, authorities said.

The incident unfolded around 9:15 a.m. at the store in south-central Omaha, Nebraska. According to Deputy Police Chief Scott Gray, the woman approached a female shopper and a 3-year-old boy inside the store, where she had shoplifted a large knife. She then displayed the weapon and took control of the child, forcing the shopper to walk ahead of a shopping cart with the boy seated in it at knifepoint. The group exited the store and moved down a nearby driveway, where the two women exchanged words for several minutes.

A 911 call alerted authorities to the situation, with a recording capturing a voice in the background saying, "Stop. Keep walking." Officers arrived quickly and issued commands to the suspect. Gray said the woman responded by swiping the knife at the child, inflicting a large laceration across the left side of his face and an injury to his hand. At that point, at least one officer opened fire, killing the woman at the scene. Body-worn camera footage released by police...

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