Erin Piacenti, 32, a vice president at Bank of America, was killed Monday afternoon in a “random and unprovoked” stabbing attack in Times Square, according to the NYPD. Piacenti had returned to work just days earlier after five months of maternity leave following the birth of her daughter. The attacker, 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros, was fatally shot by police at the scene.
A Bank of America executive was killed in a stabbing in the heart of New York City’s Times Square, the bank confirmed Tuesday — a random, broad-daylight attack that brought the crowded Manhattan intersection to a standstill as emergency vehicles swarmed between the skyscrapers.
What Happened
Police say the attack occurred Monday afternoon near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the incident appeared to be random and unprovoked.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros brandishing two large knives. Police say Cisneros advanced toward officers, who deployed a stun gun in an attempt to get her to drop the weapons. When that failed, officers shot Cisneros, who was later pronounced dead. Tisch said Cisneros had a documented history of mental health issues.
Two people were stabbed in the attack. A 68-year-old man suffered stab wounds and was listed in stable condition. The second victim, Erin Piacenti, died at a hospital.
A New Mother, Days Back From Leave
Piacenti, 32, of Chester, New Jersey, had just returned to work after five months of maternity leave following the birth of her daughter. Just four days before the attack, she had posted a photo online — smiling broadly while holding her infant daughter alongside her husband, Frank Piacenti — writing about how happy and grateful she felt, according to the New York Times.
The timing made her death land with particular weight for those who knew her: a young mother, newly back at work, killed in a random act of violence just days after celebrating her daughter and her marriage.
Piacenti was a University of Pennsylvania graduate who went on to earn her law degree from Fordham Law School, graduating in 2021 alongside her husband. Fordham Law said in a statement that it was “heartbroken to learn of the tragic and senseless loss of our alumna.”
Remembered by Colleagues
Piacenti worked as a vice president in Bank of America’s Business Selection and Conflicts unit, according to her LinkedIn profile. She had joined the bank roughly 18 months earlier.
Matthew Koder, Bank of America’s president of global corporate and investment banking, described her as a “cherished teammate and friend” in an internal memo. “Erin was a valued member of the Business Selection and Conflicts team, having joined the bank 18 months ago,” Koder wrote. “Her loss is being felt deeply by many.”
In a public statement, Bank of America said it was “shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague,” adding, “she was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to her family and all of her loved ones.”
Koder said the bank’s security teams were “fully engaged in supporting the police investigation here, and in addressing the ongoing safety and security of our offices and teammates.” Bank of America’s Manhattan office sits just a short walk from Times Square, at One Bryant Park.
