Erin Piacenti, 32, was killed in what police describe as a random attack; another man who was injured has been released from the hospital
New details have emerged about the stabbing attack in Times Square that left one woman dead and another man injured in one of New York City’s busiest areas.
The woman who was killed has been identified as Erin Piacenti, 32, of Chester, New Jersey, a vice president at Bank of America. She was stabbed in the abdomen and died after being taken to the hospital.
Victim had just returned to work
Erin worked in Business Selection and Conflicts at Bank of America and was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Fordham Law School.
According to information released Wednesday, she had recently become a mother and had returned to work after maternity leave when she was attacked. Bank of America confirmed her death and said the company was shocked and deeply saddened by the loss.
Attack began near Seventh Avenue
According to the NYPD, the attack happened at around 4:26 p.m. Monday near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue.
The first victim was a 68-year-old man from Rhode Island who had just exited the subway and was waiting to cross the street with his wife when he was stabbed in the abdomen. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital and released Tuesday afternoon.
Shortly afterward, Piacenti was also stabbed in the abdomen. Police continue to describe both attacks as random and apparently unprovoked.
Woman accused in attacks also identified
The woman identified by police as responsible for the attacks was Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens. Some initial reports listed a different age, but later reports, including information from the Associated Press, CBS New York and her family, confirmed that she was 49.
After the stabbings, Cisneros headed toward an NYPD station in Times Square while carrying two large knives.
According to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, officers repeatedly ordered her to drop the weapons. Officers deployed Tasers twice but were unable to stop her.
Police said Cisneros threatened the officers and advanced toward them while still armed. Two officers then opened fire. She was taken to a hospital, where she died.
Family discusses history of mental health issues
The NYPD said Cisneros had a documented history of mental health issues and had previously been hospitalized.
Her father, Mario Cisneros, told ABC7 on Wednesday that his daughter received monthly injections as part of her treatment and appeared to be doing well when he saw her the week before the attack. According to him, she did not typically display violent behavior.
Police also said there were records of two previous incidents involving Cisneros, one in 2018 and another related to an incident on subway tracks. She did not, however, have a prior arrest record.
Authorities say there is currently no indication that the attack was related to terrorism, and investigators have not identified a specific motive for why the victims were targeted.
The NYPD has opened an internal investigation into the officers’ use of deadly force. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said body-camera footage from the officers is expected to be released.
Source: Associated Press, Reuters, ABC7 New York and CBS News
