A daytime stabbing in the heart of Times Square has left a 32-year-old Bank of America executive dead and another person injured, in an incident New York police have described as random and unprovoked.
The victim was identified as Erin Piacenti, a resident of Chester, New Jersey. She was stabbed in the abdomen near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue on Monday afternoon and later died at Bellevue Hospital, authorities said.
Piacenti worked as a vice president at Bank of America, reportedly in the bank's Business Selection and Conflicts division. The bank confirmed her death and expressed deep sorrow over the loss of its employee.
Attack Unfolded Within Seconds
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, police received multiple emergency calls at around 4:24 p.m. reporting a woman armed with two knives and attacking people in the area.
Investigators said a 68-year-old man was stabbed first after he had exited a subway station and was waiting to cross the street with his wife. The suspect then moved north along Seventh Avenue and allegedly attacked Piacenti less than 20 seconds later.
The 68-year-old man, who is from Rhode Island, was taken to hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.
Suspect Shot by Police
Police identified the suspect as Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens.
After the stabbings, Cisneros allegedly continued towards an NYPD substation while carrying the knives. Officers confronted her and repeatedly ordered her to drop the weapons.
According to police, officers attempted to stop her using Tasers. When she allegedly refused to comply and advanced towards officers with the knives, two officers fired their service weapons. Cisneros was taken to hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Two knives were recovered from the scene.
Police said Cisneros had a documented history involving mental-health-related encounters, including previous interactions with officers. Authorities have said the attack does not appear to have been terrorism-related.
Bank of America Mourns Employee
Bank of America said it was “shocked and deeply saddened” by Piacenti's death and described her as a valued member of its team. The bank's security teams are also assisting authorities with the investigation.
Piacenti was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and earned her law degree from Fordham University School of Law in 2021. Her husband, Frank Piacenti, also graduated from Fordham Law that year.
Investigation Underway
The NYPD has launched an investigation into the stabbing and the subsequent police shooting. Officials said body-camera footage from the officers involved will be released at a later stage.
The incident has renewed attention on public safety in Times Square, one of New York's busiest tourist areas. Despite the high-profile attack, recent NYPD statistics indicate that overall shootings and murders in the city have declined.
