Two injured, one dead after suspect stabbed victims in Times Square before police shot her
Police say a 39-year-old woman attacked two people with knives in Times Square on Monday, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring a 68-year-old man before officers shot the suspect.
Police identified the victims and the suspect involved in a knife attack in Times Square on Monday. The 32-year-old victim, Erin Piacenti, died at a hospital, while the 68-year-old male victim was treated at Bellevue and released on Tuesday.
NYPD officials said the suspect, 39-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens, threatened people with two knives near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue at about 4:26 p.m. She stabbed both victims before fleeing toward the NYPD substation, where officers confronted her. Cisneros refused commands to drop the knives and was shot after tasers were deployed.
"During the encounter, she told the officers, 'I'm not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you.' She repeated, 'I will kill you,'" NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a briefing.
Two knives were recovered from the scene. Cisneros was pronounced dead at a hospital and had a documented history of mental health issues, according to Tisch.
Bank of America, Piacenti's employer, issued a statement expressing shock and sadness over her death. The 68-year-old victim, a Rhode Island resident visiting family, was reported to be recovering.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced an internal NYPD investigation and said body-worn camera footage would be released to the public.