On Tuesday morning, April 14, 2026, a harrowing incident unfolded at a Walmart store located at 72nd Street and Pine Street in Omaha, Nebraska, when a 31-year-old woman armed with a large kitchen knife attempted to kidnap a 3-year-old boy.
The woman, identified as Noemi Guzman, shoplifted the knife from inside the store before approaching the child and his guardian, brandishing the weapon and making multiple threats. The Omaha Police Department received 911 calls reporting the incident around 9:15 a.m., prompting a rapid response from officers to the scene.
Store surveillance footage documented the sequence of events, showing Guzman shoplifting the knife and then approaching the young child, identified as Cyler Hillman, and his guardian. Guzman forced the guardian to walk ahead of the shopping cart while the 3-year-old boy remained seated inside, directing them through the store and into the parking lot.
The surveillance evidence provided crucial documentation of the attempted kidnapping and the threat posed by Guzman’s actions, establishing the severity of the situation that confronted responding officers.
Upon arrival at the scene, officers encountered Guzman in the parking lot pushing the shopping cart with the child inside. The officers issued multiple verbal commands for Guzman to drop the knife, but she refused to comply. Instead of relinquishing the weapon, Guzman allegedly cut the 3-year-old boy across his face with the knife.
In response to this act of violence against the child, two patrol officers fired their service weapons, striking Guzman. She was pronounced dead at the scene, and no officers were injured during the encounter.
The 3-year-old victim, Cyler Hillman, was reunited with his guardian and transported to a local hospital for medical treatment. His injuries, while serious, were not considered life-threatening. The child’s parents, Sara and Casey Hillman, expressed their gratitude for the officers’ swift action in preventing further harm.
Casey Hillman stated that if the officers had not reacted when they did, his son would not have survived, and he also noted that if Guzman had struck the child any lower with the knife, the outcome could have been fatal.
Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer commended the responding officers for their professionalism and decisive action in the critical situation. In a statement, 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.” The incident highlighted the dangerous situations law enforcement officers face when responding to threats against vulnerable populations.
The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing, and as required by law when a person dies while being apprehended by law enforcement or in custody, the case will be presented to a grand jury for review. The incident has raised awareness about the importance of rapid police response in child endangerment situations and the critical role officers play in protecting the community’s most vulnerable members. The Hillman family continues to process the traumatic event, with young Cyler showing signs of fear about returning to normal activities.