Omaha Walmart Shooting: Noemi Guzman Killed After Knife Attack Leaves 3-Year-Old Hurt
Omaha, Nebraska saw a violent and fast-moving scene inside and outside a Walmart on South 72nd Street on the morning of April 14, 2026. What began as a confusing emergency call quickly turned into a deadly confrontation involving a woman, a young child, and responding police officers.
It started at 9:13 a.m. when Omaha police received a distress call from inside the store. The caller asked for help but stopped giving information midway through the call. Moments later, another caller warned that a woman was inside the store with a large kitchen knife and a small child.
Officers arrived and found a tense situation already unfolding in the store’s parking lot. A 31-year-old woman, identified as Noemi Guzman, was standing near a shopping cart that contained a 3-year-old boy. She was holding a knife and making threats while officers ordered her repeatedly to drop the weapon.
Police say the situation escalated when Guzman refused to comply. During the confrontation, she injured the child with the knife. Officers then fired their weapons, striking her as they attempted to stop the threat.
Guzman was pronounced dead at the scene despite emergency life-saving efforts by officers who had rushed in seconds after the confrontation turned violent. The child was quickly pulled to safety by a guardian and a bystander who stepped in before emergency crews arrived.
The child was later taken by Omaha Fire Department medics to Children’s Hospital. Officials confirmed the injuries were serious enough to require urgent care but are not considered life-threatening.
Investigators later reviewed store surveillance footage, which showed Guzman allegedly taking the knife from inside the store before the incident began. The footage also showed her confronting the child and guardian inside the store and forcing them through aisles toward the exit.
Omaha Police leadership praised the officers for acting under extreme pressure, saying their response prevented further harm. The officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave as part of standard procedure while the investigation continues.
Authorities say the case remains under active review, with support from state and county agencies. Officials have also asked anyone with video or eyewitness information to come forward as they work to piece together the full timeline.
