NEW YORK (AP) — In a shocking incident in Times Square, Erin Piacenti, a 32-year-old Bank of America employee, was fatally stabbed in a random attack that also left a 68-year-old man injured. The incident occurred on Monday afternoon, just blocks away from the bank's office tower in the heart of New York's tourist and theater district.
Bank of America confirmed Piacenti's death, expressing their sorrow over the tragic loss of a valued colleague. The bank did not provide specific details about Piacenti’s role within the company. Erin Piacenti had graduated with a law degree from Fordham Law School in 2021, alongside her husband, Frank Piacenti. The institution expressed its heartbreak over her untimely death in a statement.
The identity of the other stabbing victim, a man who is believed to be from New York City, has not yet been released; he is currently hospitalized, and no updates on his condition have been made available as of Tuesday.
Police have identified the attacker as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros from Queens. Following the attack, officers confronted Cisneros, leading to her being shot and killed. The police revealed that Cisneros had previously encountered mental health challenges, having had interactions with law enforcement in 2018 and 2019, but she did not have a criminal record in New York City.
Cisneros's brother, Patrick Peralta, spoke to the media, revealing that she had struggled with psychiatric issues for many years but had not displayed aggressive behavior. He noted that she had been on medication and had shown improvement, able to work intermittently in a legal office. Peralta mentioned that he last saw his sister at a family gathering in early September and she had assured their mother she was fine in a phone call just days before the incident.
The stabbing incident unfolded in one of New York's most crowded and heavily monitored areas, right next to a police station and near where the city's annual New Year's Eve ball drop takes place. This particular area had previously been the site of another violent stabbing earlier in May.
According to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Cisneros drew two knives from a shopping bag, initially stabbing the man before attacking Piacenti. Eyewitness videos captured the tense moments as police officers surrounded Cisneros, who was brandishing two knives. Attempts to persuade her to drop the weapons lasted several minutes, during which she reportedly declared that she would "rather kill" the officers than relinquish the knives. Ultimately, officers used a stun gun on her, but she continued to advance towards them, prompting them to use lethal force.
This incident has reignited discussions around mental health and public safety, highlighting the challenging balance law enforcement faces in managing mental health crises in public spaces.
As the investigation continues, the community mourns the loss of a young professional whose life was cut short and supports the recovery of the other victim involved in this senseless act of violence.
