Archive · 2 Sep 2026
Bank of America Vice President Killed in Times Square Stabbing
A woman with two knives allegedly attacked two people in New York City’s Times Square.
A 68-year-old man was hurt first after leaving a subway station.
The woman then attacked Erin Piacenti, who was 32 years old.
Piacenti later died at a hospital.
She worked as a vice president at Bank of America and had recently returned from time off to care for her baby.
Police identified the alleged attacker as Pamela Cisneros.
Officers said Cisneros would not drop the knives and moved toward them, so they shot her.
Police called the attacks random and unprovoked, but no specific motive was reported.
Cisneros’s brother said she had long-term psychiatric problems but was not aggressive and had been taking medication.
Erin Piacenti, 32, was fatally stabbed near her Bank of America workplace in Times Square.
Police identified Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens, as the alleged attacker.
A 68-year-old man was stabbed in the abdomen on West 41st Street before Piacenti was attacked on West 42nd Street.
Police said the attacks were random and unprovoked and later shot Cisneros after she allegedly advanced toward officers with knives.
Piacenti was a Bank of America vice president, lawyer, new mother, and University of Pennsylvania and Fordham Law graduate.
- Who
- Erin Piacenti was killed, a 68-year-old man was injured, and Pamela Cisneros was identified as the alleged attacker.
- What
- A knife attack killed Piacenti and injured the man; police later shot and killed Cisneros.
- When
- The attacks occurred Monday afternoon at about 4:24 p.m., according to one report.
- Where
- The attacks occurred on West 41st and West 42nd Streets near Times Square in Manhattan, New York City.
- Why
- Police described the attacks as random and unprovoked; the articles did not report a specific motive.
Police Account
Family Account
Nature of the attack
Police Account
Police described the stabbings as random and unprovoked and said Cisneros attacked two people before confronting officers.
Family Account
Cisneros’s brother said the family did not know why the attack occurred and expressed sympathy for Piacenti’s family and the injured man.
Cisneros’s mental health
Police Account
Police said Cisneros was mentally disturbed and had mental-health-related encounters with police in 2018 and 2019.
Family Account
Her brother said she had experienced psychiatric problems for decades but was not aggressive, was taking medication, and had been doing better in recent years.
Use of deadly force
Police Account
Police said officers tried for several minutes to persuade Cisneros to drop the knives and used a stun gun before shooting her as she allegedly moved toward them.
Family Account
The articles did not provide a separate account from Cisneros or a representative disputing the police description of the shooting.
- Fatality
- Erin Piacenti, 32, died after being stabbed.
- Victim's job
- Piacenti was a vice president at Bank of America in its Business Selection and Conflicts unit.
- Second victim
- A 68-year-old man was stabbed in the abdomen and was reported to be stable in hospital.
- Alleged attacker
- Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens.
- Attack sequence
- Police said Cisneros first attacked the man on West 41st Street and then Piacenti on West 42nd Street.
- Police response
- Officers ordered Cisneros to drop the knives, used a stun gun, and then shot her when she allegedly continued moving toward them.
- Piacenti's education
- She earned a political science degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Juris Doctor from Fordham Law School in 2021.
