Bank of America Vice President Erin Piacenti was the 32-year-old woman killed in what police described as a “random and unprovoked” knife attack in Times Square, New York. A University of Pennsylvania graduate and Fordham Law School alumna, Piacenti was a new mother who had recently returned to work after taking five months off from the bank to care for her infant daughter. Her death has left her family, colleagues and the New York community mourning a young woman whose life had appeared to be entering a happy new chapter.
Reportedly, Bank of America, the second-biggest US lender, confirmed her death in a statement, saying: “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague.” Piacenti worked as a vice president in the bank’s business selection and conflicts unit, according to her LinkedIn profile.
New York attack victim was a young banker and new mother
According to reports, Piacenti earned her law degree from Fordham Law School in 2021, graduating alongside her husband, Frank Piacenti. Fordham Law said it was “heartbroken” by her death. Just four days before she was killed, Piacenti had shared a photo of herself smiling with her infant daughter and husband, according to the New York Times.
In the post, she reportedly spoke about being grateful for the five months she had received away from work to care for her daughter. She also shared that the baby had recently been baptised. Piacenti and her husband had just celebrated their second wedding anniversary and had travelled to Long Beach, New Jersey, Maine and Rhode Island.
New York victim remembered for a life filled with family
Her grandmother remembered Piacenti as a “beautiful, beautiful girl.” The details from her final days have added to the shock surrounding the New York killing, as the young banker had only recently returned to her professional life after maternity leave.
As per reports, the attack also injured a 68-year-old man, whose identity has not been released. He was taken to hospital, but there was no immediate update on his condition. Police said the attacker, identified as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens, was carrying two knives.
New York police shot attacker after Times Square stabbing
Reports say that according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Cisneros pulled the knives from a shopping bag, stabbed the man and then attacked Piacenti. Officers later shot and killed her. The incident happened in one of the busiest and most heavily policed parts of New York, near a police station and outside the building associated with the city’s annual New Year’s Eve ball drop.
Bystander videos showed officers surrounding Cisneros as she held two large knives. Police first tried to persuade her to drop them for several minutes before using a stun gun. Tisch said Cisneros refused and told officers she “would rather kill” them. She then moved quickly towards police while waving the knives, after which two officers shot her.
New York stabbing raises questions over attacker’s mental health
Police described Cisneros as a mentally disturbed mother of three. Tisch said she had mental-health-related encounters with police in 2018 and 2019 but had no New York City arrest record.
Her brother, Patrick Peralta, told Gothamist that Cisneros had suffered psychiatric problems for decades but was not aggressive. He said she had been taking medication, had improved in recent years and worked on and off at a legal office. Peralta last saw her at a relative’s birthday gathering early last month.
Also Read: New York Woman Stabs Two People In 20 Seconds At Times Square, Then Gets Shot Dead By Police
Khalid Lateef is a Sub-Editor at NewsX Digital, specializing in Indian politics and global affairs. He also covers viral trending stories and major crime developments.
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