Victim Identified in Times Square Stabbing

A 32-year-old New Jersey woman who was fatally stabbed in New York City's Times Square on Monday has been identified as Erin Piacenti, a vice president at Bank of America, the bank confirmed. Piacenti, of Chester, New Jersey, served as a vice president of business selection and conflicts at the bank, according to multiple reports. She died in hospital from injuries sustained in the stabbing, as first reported by Bloomberg News.

Piacenti was stabbed in the abdomen at the intersection of 41st Street and Seventh Avenue around 4:30 , near an NYPD substation outside One Times Square, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. A 68-year-old man was also stabbed in the abdomen during the attack and was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

Police Account of the Attack

At a press conference on Monday, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani detailed the sequence of events. Tisch stated that a 49-year-old woman from Queens, identified as Pamela Cisneros, pulled two knives from a shopping bag shortly before 4:30 m. She first stabbed the 68-year-old man, then Piacenti, in what authorities described as a random and unprovoked attack.

According to Tisch, officers spent four minutes trying to persuade Cisneros to drop the knives. The woman reportedly told officers, "I'm not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you." Officers then used a Taser, but it failed to incapacitate her. Video posted by bystanders showed Cisneros advancing toward officers with knives, and two officers fired their weapons, striking her. She was given first aid at the scene but was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Tisch described the incident as "an extraordinarily dangerous situation unfolding in the heart of Times Square, the crossroads of the world." She also noted that Cisneros had a documented mental health history with the NYPD, including incidents in 2018 and 2019, but no arrest history. Police said there was no evidence the attack was terrorism-related, and the investigation remains ongoing.

Official and Corporate Responses

Bank of America expressed condolences in a statement emailed to Reuters: "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."

Mayor Mamdani offered condolences to the victims' families, saying, "We know that those families' lives have been shattered by what took place today, and we will continue to hold them close as the hours and days and weeks continue from this moment."