A Bank of America VP Stabbed To Death In Grisly Times Square Murder

A Bank of America vice president, Erin Piacenti, was killed Monday in a stabbing attack in Times Square that also injured a tourist, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) confirmed.

Piacenti died at a hospital from stab wounds sustained in the attack, the NYPD said in a briefing. Piacenti worked as a vice president of business selection and conflicts at Bank of America, according to her LinkedIn profile.

NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the suspect, 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros, initially approached a 68-year-old tourist from Rhode Island near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue while carrying two knives. Cisneros allegedly stabbed the man in the abdomen as he stood with his wife waiting to cross the street. He was taken to a hospital in stable condition, as reported by Fox 5 New York.

Cisneros then continued north along Seventh Avenue and allegedly stabbed Piacenti in the abdomen near West 42nd Street, roughly 20 seconds after the first attack, Tisch said.

Witnesses alerted nearby police officers, who confronted Cisneros between West 42nd and West 43rd streets while she was still allegedly holding the knives. Officers spent roughly four minutes attempting to convince her to drop the weapons.

“I’m not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you,” Cisneros allegedly told officers, according to Tisch.

Police deployed Tasers when Cisneros moved toward them, but the devices were ineffective, Tisch said. Two officers then opened fire, striking Cisneros.

Cisneros was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where she died.

Tisch said Cisneros had no prior arrest history with the NYPD, although department records showed officers had two previous encounters with her involving mental illness in 2018 and 2019.

Investigators had no reason to believe the stabbing was terrorism-related, Tisch said.

The attack occurred near Bank of America’s main Manhattan office at One Bryant Park, located adjacent to Times Square. The bank also operates a financial center at nearby Two Bryant Park and maintains office space at the Grace Building.