NEW YORK
Erin Piacenti, a 32-year-old vice president at Bank of America, was fatally stabbed in Times Square in what New York City police described as a random and unprovoked attack. The incident happened Monday afternoon, August 31, near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue in the heart of Manhattan’s busy Times Square district. Piacenti was taken to a nearby hospital after being stabbed but later died from her injuries, according to police and multiple news reports.
Piacenti worked at Bank of America and was identified as a vice president within the company’s corporate and investment banking operations. The bank confirmed her death and expressed shock and sadness over the loss of its colleague.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague,” Bank of America said in a statement, adding that Piacenti was a valued member of the team and that the company’s thoughts were with her family and loved ones.
Police said the attack involved two victims. A 68-year-old man was stabbed shortly before Piacenti was attacked. He was taken to a hospital and was reported to be in stable condition.
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the two victims were attacked within roughly 20 seconds of each other. Investigators have characterized the incident as apparently random, with no indication that Piacenti was specifically targeted because of her employment at Bank of America.
The attack unfolded during a busy afternoon in one of New York City’s most heavily visited areas, prompting a significant police response. Authorities identified the suspect as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens. Police said she was carrying two large knives during the incident.
After the stabbing, officers confronted Cisneros near a nearby NYPD substation. Police said officers repeatedly ordered her to drop the knives, but she refused.
Officers attempted to use Tasers before two officers fired their service weapons as the woman moved toward them while still armed, according to Commissioner Tisch. Cisneros was subsequently pronounced dead at a hospital.
Police said Cisneros had a documented history of mental-health-related encounters with the NYPD but no prior arrest history. Authorities have not indicated that the incident was terrorism-related.
Piacenti was a New Jersey resident and a lawyer who had built a career in the financial sector. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2016 and later earned her law degree from Fordham Law School in 2021. Her husband also attended Fordham Law School.
Reports said Piacenti had recently celebrated her second wedding anniversary. She had also recently purchased a home in Chester, New Jersey, with her husband, according to reports.
Her death has prompted an outpouring of grief from colleagues and members of the academic communities connected to her education.
Fordham Law School expressed heartbreak over the death of its alumna, while the University of Pennsylvania also paid tribute to Piacenti.