Bank of America employee killed in Times Square stabbing; attacker shot by police
A 32-year-old Bank of America employee was fatally stabbed in Times Square, and the assailant, identified as Pamela Cisneros, was killed by police after a standoff.
Police said a 32-year-old Bank of America employee, Erin Piacenti, died after being stabbed in Times Square on Monday afternoon. The incident also injured a 68-year-old man, whose condition has not been updated. The attacker, 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens, was shot and killed by officers after a brief confrontation.
Bank of America confirmed Piacenti’s employment and expressed sorrow in a statement, noting the loss of a colleague. Piacenti held a law degree from Fordham Law School, graduating in 2021 alongside her husband, Frank Piacenti.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Cisneros had prior mental-health encounters with police in 2018 and 2019 but no arrest record. During the attack, Cisneros pulled two knives from a bag, stabbed the older man, and then attacked Piacenti. Bystander video showed officers attempting to persuade her to drop the knives before deploying a stun gun. Tisch said Cisneros refused, stating she would "rather kill" the officers, after which two officers shot her.
Cisneros’ brother, Patrick Peralta, told a local news outlet that she had long-standing psychiatric issues but had been stable in recent years, working intermittently in a legal office. He expressed uncertainty about the motive behind the attack.