Bank of America executive fatally stabbed in Times Square

A Bank of America vice president was stabbed to death Monday afternoon in Times Square after a woman armed with two knives attacked two strangers within seconds of each other before police shot her dead.

Erin Piacenti, 32, a vice president of business selection and conflicts at Bank of America and a resident of Chester, New Jersey, was stabbed in the abdomen near 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. She was transported to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue, where she was pronounced dead. A second victim - a 68-year-old man - was stabbed moments earlier and was listed in stable condition, according to the New York Police Department.

Bank of America confirmed Piacenti's death in an emailed statement. "We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague. She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to her family and all of her loved ones," the bank said.

A sequence unfolding in seconds

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch laid out the attack's timeline at a press conference Monday evening. The assailant — identified by police as Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens, New York — first approached a man who had just exited a nearby subway station and was standing with his wife at a crosswalk. A witness told investigators that Cisneros pulled two large knives from a red Target bag before stabbing the 68-year-old man in the abdomen. She then moved north along Seventh Avenue toward 42nd Street, where she stabbed Piacenti. Both attacks occurred within approximately 20 seconds, Tisch said.

Officers responding to 911 calls encountered Cisneros still armed and advancing toward them. After several minutes attempting to convince her to put down the knives — and after a Taser failed to stop her — officers opened fire. Cisneros was transported to Bellevue, where she was pronounced dead. The NYPD said she had a documented mental health history with the department, including incidents in 2018 and 2019, but no prior arrest record.

Bank of America mourns as Times Square safety concerns mount

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani credited officers with preventing further casualties and said the incident would be fully reviewed.

"This is what the men and women of this department do every single day to keep our city safe," Mamdani said. "As the standard, there will be an internal investigation and body-worn camera footage will be released to the public."

The killing took place in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, steps from the offices of dozens of major banks, advisory firms, and asset managers. The NYPD Force Investigation Division is continuing to investigate. Knives were recovered at the scene.