Bank of America executive Erin Piacenti killed in Times Square stabbing
Quick Look
- Bank of America vice president Erin Piacenti, 32, was fatally stabbed in Times Square by Pamela Cisneros, 49, in a random attack that also injured a 68-year-old man.
- Cisneros was shot and killed by police after refusing to drop knives.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Erin Piacenti was a Bank of America vice president who graduated from Fordham Law School in 2021. The attack occurred in Times Square, a heavily policed tourist area near a police station and the site of the New Year's Eve ball drop.
A Bank of America executive was killed in a “random and unprovoked” stabbing in New York City’s busy Times Square.
Erin Piacenti, 32, was one of two people stabbed Monday afternoon in the tourist and theater hub, which is located a few blocks from Bank of America's office tower in New York.
Piacenti died of her injuries and a second person, a 68-year-old man, was hospitalized after the attack.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague,” Bank of America said in a statement.
Piacenti was a vice president for business selection and conflicts at the bank, according to New York Daily News. She earned a law degree from Fordham Law School and graduated in 2021 alongside her husband, Frank Piacenti, according to the school.
The couple had recently celebrated their two-year wedding anniversary. Fordham Law said in a statement it was heartbroken by her death.
The other victim’s identity hasn't been released and no update on his condition was immediately available.
Times Square attacker identified
Police named the attacker Tuesday as Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens. Officers shot and killed her after the stabbing. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the woman had no arrest record in NYC but did have mental-health-related encounters with police in 2018 and 2019.
The attack happened in one of the busiest and most heavily policed areas of the city, next to a police station and just outside the building that hosts the annual New Year’s Eve ball drop celebration. A man was fatally stabbed in the same area in May.
Cisneros pulled two knives from a shopping bag, stabbed the man, and then attacked Piacenti, according to Tisch.
The stabbings happened 20 seconds apart and appeared to be “random and unprovoked,” Tisch said.
Videos showed police gathering around Cisneros as she held two large knives in front of her. Then, as they used a stun gun on her, she waved the knives and walked quickly toward the officers, the video showed.
Tisch said officers tried to persuade Cisneros to drop the knives for several minutes before they used the stun gun. She told them she wouldn't drop anything and “would rather kill” the officers, according to Tisch.
Two officers then shot Cisneros, according to police.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Police will release further details about Pamela Cisneros' mental health history and possible motives.
Likely · Within days
Bank of America will offer counseling and support services to employees affected by the incident.
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What was the exact motive behind Pamela Cisneros' attack?
- What is the current condition of the 68-year-old male victim?
- Were there any warning signs prior to Cisneros' actions that could have been detected?
