Published by Osasere Edomwonyi Ikpoba
A 32-year-old Bank of America vice president was killed in a random stabbing attack in New York City's Times Square on Monday afternoon, prompting police to shoot and kill the 49-year-old female suspect after she refused to surrender and advanced toward officers with two knives. The violent episode unfolded in one of the world's busiest public spaces, leaving one victim dead, another hospitalized, and a city grappling with yet another high-profile act of street violence.
The victim was identified as Erin Piacenti, a vice president of business selection and conflicts at Bank of America, who resided in Chester, New Jersey. She had recently celebrated her second wedding anniversary after marrying her husband, Frank, in August 2024. The suspect was named as Pamela Cisneros, a 49-year-old woman from Queens, New York City.
According to New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the incident began at approximately 4:24 p.m. near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue. Preliminary investigations revealed that Cisneros approached a 68-year-old man who had just exited a subway station and was waiting to cross the street with his wife. A witness told investigators they observed the suspect remove two knives from a red Target bag before waving them and stabbing the man in the right side of his abdomen in what authorities described as a random and unprovoked attack.
The suspect then continued up Seventh Avenue toward 42nd Street, where she stabbed Piacenti approximately 20 seconds after the first attack. Both victims were rushed to Bellevue Hospital. The 68-year-old man was reported to be in stable condition, but Piacenti was later pronounced dead from her injuries.
Following the two stabbings, Cisneros continued along Seventh Avenue, where she encountered police between 42nd and 43rd streets. Still armed with both knives, she was confronted by officers who spent approximately four minutes attempting to persuade her to drop her weapons. During the encounter, Cisneros reportedly told officers, "I'm not dropping anything, I'd rather kill both of you," and repeated, "I will kill you". Officers deployed Tasers, which officials said were ineffective and did not stop her from advancing toward them. When Cisneros continued moving toward police, officers opened fire. She was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she was also pronounced dead.
Commissioner Tisch noted that Cisneros had no previous arrest record but had a documented history of mental-health-related incidents with the NYPD in 2018 and 2019. Authorities confirmed there was no indication at the time that the attack was terrorism-related. Both knives allegedly used by the suspect were recovered at the scene.
Bank of America issued a statement expressing shock and sorrow over the loss of its employee. "We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague," the statement read. "She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to her family and all of her loved ones".
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the incident as a tragic development and commended officers for their response. Commissioner Tisch praised the officers' actions, noting that more people could have been hurt or killed if not for their intervention. The incident, which occurred in the heart of the heavily populated Times Square, has generated widespread attention online, with videos and reactions circulating across social media platforms. The NYPD confirmed that investigations into both the stabbing and the police shooting are continuing.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments