A Bank of America employee was killed Monday afternoon in a stabbing in Times Square by a woman armed with two knives.
Erin Piacenti, 32, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital from stab wounds, New York City police confirmed Tuesday. Piacenti served as vice president of the Business Selection and Conflicts team within the firm’s corporate and investment bank. She joined the company about 18 months ago.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague,” a Bank of America spokesperson said in a statement. “She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed. Our thoughts go out to her family and all her loved ones.”
At a press conference on Monday, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the attack, which happened around 4:30 p.m., as “random and unprovoked.” Another victim was injured and the suspect died on the spot.
Police said the attacker, Pamela Cisneros, approached a 68-year-old man in Times Square and stabbed him in the abdomen with two knives. He is in stable condition in hospital.
Twenty seconds later, Cisneros stabbed Piacenti. Cisneros was then shot dead by police after refusing to put down two large knives.
Tisch said Cisnerno had no prior arrests but a “documented history of mental illness” and showed two separate encounters with her in 2018 and 2019.
The investigation remains ongoing by the NYPD Force Investigation Division.
Bank of America’s New York headquarters are at One Bryant Park in Midtown, near where the stabbings occurred at West 42nd Street and 7th Avenue.
