Police Shoot Woman Who Slashed 3-Year-Old's Face at Omaha Walmart
Omaha police fatally shot a woman on April 15, 2026, after she used a knife to slash a 3-year-old boy's face in a Walmart parking lot, according to the Omaha Police Department. The suspect, identified as Noemi Guzman, 31, had stolen the knife from inside the store moments before approaching the child and his guardian. The boy was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
How the Attack Unfolded
According to police, Guzman shoplifted a large kitchen knife from inside the Walmart store before approaching a guardian who was pushing a shopping cart containing a 3-year-old boy. She forced the guardian to walk ahead at knifepoint while she took control of the cart and directed them into the parking lot.
Officers responding to the scene gave Guzman multiple commands to drop the knife. When she instead began slashing the child's face, two officers opened fire. Guzman was struck and pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators described the situation as an attempted kidnapping that escalated when Guzman turned the weapon on the child during the confrontation with police.
Officers Identified
The Omaha Police Department identified the officers involved as Roger Oseka and Brian Seaton, both veterans of the force with 22 years of experience each. In accordance with department protocol following officer-involved shootings, both were placed on paid critical incident leave pending a review of the incident.
The department has not yet indicated a timeline for the review's completion or whether body camera footage will be made public.
Suspect's Prior History
Following Guzman's death, investigators and media reports surfaced details about her prior run-ins with law enforcement. She had a previous arrest for stabbing her father and had also been involved in a violent incident connected to a church. The nature and outcome of those prior cases were not immediately detailed by authorities.
The history drew scrutiny over whether existing systems had adequately flagged Guzman's behavior before the Walmart confrontation. Concerns about gaps in mental health intervention for individuals with repeated violent incidents are familiar in cases like this one, where warning signs preceded a public attack.
The Child's Condition
The 3-year-old boy was transported to a local hospital following the attack. Authorities confirmed his injuries to the face were non-life-threatening. No further details about his condition or identity were released, consistent with standard practice for protecting the privacy of child victims in violent crime cases.
The guardian who was present during the attack was not reported to have sustained physical injuries.
What Comes Next
The incident will be reviewed by the Omaha Police Department's internal affairs process, as is standard following any officer-involved shooting. Nebraska law also allows for independent review in cases involving use of deadly force by police. Whether the county attorney's office will conduct a separate investigation has not been announced.
Walmart has not issued a public statement about the incident. The store remained open following the shooting, which took place in the parking lot rather than inside the building.
Cases in which police use lethal force to protect a third party from imminent harm are among the most legally straightforward in use-of-force reviews, though they still require the same documentation and accountability processes as other law enforcement actions. Both officers are expected to remain on leave until that process concludes.
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