Times Square stabbing leaves one dead, suspect killed by NYPD, motive unclear

A Times Square stabbing spree left a 68-year-old man dead and a 32-year-old woman wounded, as a Queens woman identified as Pamela Cisneros, 49, was fatally shot by police after a four-minute confrontation outside a subway/Times Square substation. The victim, Erin Piacenti, a 32-year-old Bank of America vice president from Chester, New Jersey, died from her injuries; Bank of America and Piacenti’s family confirmed the loss. The attack began near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue, with additional stabbings at West 42nd Street, prompting a major police response and ongoing investigation by the NYPD Force Investigation Division. Cisneros brandished two large kitchen knives and refused to drop them; officers attempted a taser before fatally shooting her. The NYPD noted Cisneros has a documented history of mental health issues, and authorities said there is no evidence the attack was terrorism-related. Authorities have not released further details on the victims’ families at this time, and the incident remains under investigation.