A grand jury review is expected after officers killed a woman accused of cutting a child.
OMAHA, Neb. — The fatal shooting of a woman accused of cutting a 3-year-old boy outside an Omaha Walmart has moved into a formal review involving local police, state investigators and an expected grand jury presentation.
Noemi Guzman, 31, died Tuesday after two Omaha patrol officers fired their weapons near the south parking lot entry of the Walmart at 1606 S. 72nd St. Police said she had taken a large kitchen knife from the store, seized a boy she did not know and cut him as officers ordered her to drop the weapon. The child, identified by family as Cyler Hillman, survived and was treated for wounds to his face and hand.
The legal process began as soon as the scene was secured. Omaha police said the two officers were placed on paid critical incident leave, which is department policy after an officer-involved shooting. The department’s Officer-Involved Investigations Team is reviewing the shooting with help from the Nebraska State Patrol and the Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office. Because Guzman died while being apprehended by law enforcement, officials said the case is expected to be presented to a grand jury. That review will focus on the officers’ use of deadly force and the events that led to it.
The criminal investigation into Guzman’s actions is separate from the review of the shooting, though both depend on much of the same evidence. Police said the first call to 911 came at 9:13 a.m. from a woman asking for help before she stopped giving information. A second caller then reported a woman armed with a large kitchen knife and a young child. Officers arrived at about 9:20 a.m. and found Guzman by a shopping cart with the boy inside. Officials said she was making threats and refused repeated commands to drop the knife.
Deputy Chief Scott Gray said the encounter started inside the store when Guzman took a large kitchen knife and approached the child and his caretaker. Gray said she showed the knife and “took possession of the child, essentially kidnapping the child.” Police said Guzman forced the caretaker to walk ahead while she followed with the cart. The group moved out of the store and toward a driveway near the parking lot. Gray said the caretaker and Guzman exchanged words for several minutes before officers arrived.
Police said the officers had only seconds to act once they reached the cart. Gray said Guzman began swiping the knife at the child, cutting him across the face. Officials said both officers fired their service weapons, striking Guzman. Officers then attempted life-saving measures, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. The caretaker and a bystander removed the boy from the cart. Police said he was reunited with his guardian and taken to Children’s Hospital. His injuries were serious, but authorities said he was expected to live.
Body-camera footage and store surveillance are expected to shape the review. Omaha police released still images from officers’ cameras showing Guzman near the cart with the knife. Officials said moments from the incident were captured by body-worn cameras and other surveillance cameras. Investigators are also reviewing video from inside the Walmart to determine how Guzman obtained the knife and how she moved through the store with the child and caretaker. Gray said the group’s movement may not have drawn attention because it did not appear chaotic until the confrontation outside.
The review will also examine what police knew about Guzman before the shooting. Omaha police confirmed officers had contact with her Tuesday morning before the Walmart incident, but officials had not said where that contact happened or what it involved. Police also confirmed Guzman was the same woman accused in a 2024 case involving violence against her father and a break-in at St. Francis Cabrini Church. Local reports said she was accused of cutting her father, dousing him with flammable liquid and later entering the church rectory with a knife while a priest barricaded himself.
In that earlier case, Guzman pleaded not guilty to charges that included assault, arson, burglary and criminal mischief. She was later found not responsible by reason of insanity, according to local reports. The case was still open when police identified her after the Walmart shooting. Officials have not said whether any mental health history, prior court order or police contact played a role in Tuesday’s attack. They have also not said why Guzman targeted the boy or his caretaker. Gray said investigators had found no known relationship between them.
Public officials praised the officers while also pointing to the investigation still underway. Police Chief Todd Schmaderer said the officers acted with “professionalism and direct action” to save the child. Mayor John Ewing Jr. thanked the officers for their quick action and said he was grateful for the department’s transparency. Those statements came before the completion of outside assistance and any grand jury review. Police said no officers were injured, and officials did not report injuries to other shoppers or workers.
The boy’s family placed the focus on his survival. Sara Hillman, his mother, said the family was still facing hard questions about what could have happened. Casey Hillman, his father, said the officers’ response kept the attack from becoming worse. The family said Cyler had surgery and was recovering. Police described a large cut on the left side of his face and another cut to his hand. The department did not give a final timeline for his recovery.
Investigators are now collecting witness accounts and video from anyone who saw Guzman before officers fired. The Walmart scene was processed Tuesday, and the shooting review remained open. The next major step is the completed investigative file and a grand jury presentation on Guzman’s death.
Author note: Last updated May 6, 2026.