Erin Piacenti, a 32-year-old vice-president at Bank of America, has been killed in a stabbing attack in Times Square, New York City.
Gatekeepers News reports that Piacenti was stabbed on Monday afternoon near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue, close to Bank of America’s office at One Bryant Park. She was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
The New York Police Department (NYPD) said a 68-year-old man was also stabbed during the incident. He was taken to hospital and remained in stable condition.
According to police commissioner Jessica Tisch, the two victims were attacked about 20 seconds apart. She described the incident as a “random and unprovoked attack.”
Police identified the suspected attacker as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros. Authorities said she was carrying two knives when officers confronted her after the stabbings.
Officers attempted to stop Cisneros with a Taser, but she continued advancing towards them while armed with the knives. Police subsequently shot her, and she was later pronounced dead in hospital. The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division is investigating the police shooting.
Bank of America expressed shock and sadness over Piacenti’s death, describing her as a valued colleague who would be greatly missed.
Piacenti, who was from Chester, New Jersey, worked in Bank of America’s global corporate and investment banking division. Her death has drawn attention because the attack occurred in the heart of Times Square, one of New York’s busiest tourist areas.
