Bank of America vice president killed in Times Square stabbing

A Bank of America employee died and a man was wounded in a knife attack on Monday afternoon in Times Square, in midtown Manhattan. The attacker was shot dead by police at the scene. New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the episode as a random and unprovoked attack.

The police identified the woman who died as Erin Piacenti, 32, of Chester, New Jersey. She died at the hospital to which she was taken. She worked as a vice president of business selection and conflicts at Bank of America, a compliance unit, in an office one block from the site of the attack. In U.S. banking, vice president is a mid-level professional rank and not a senior executive position at the institution.

The attack took place at about 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on Seventh Avenue at West 42nd Street. According to authorities, a woman carrying several knives stabbed Piacenti and a 68-year-old man within seconds. The second victim remained hospitalized in stable condition.

Police identified the attacker as Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens. Officers first tried to subdue her with a stun gun and, when that failed and she advanced toward them without letting go of the weapons, they opened fire. Cisneros was pronounced dead at the hospital. Tisch said she had no criminal record but had several prior contacts with police over mental health incidents.

Speaking at a press conference, Tisch called the events an extraordinarily dangerous situation that unfolded in the heart of Times Square. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said officers intervened and prevented the attack from being even worse.

Bank of America issued a statement saying it was shocked and deeply saddened by the loss of its colleague, whom it described as a valued colleague who will be greatly missed, and extended its condolences to Piacenti's family and loved ones.

The statements from authorities and the bank were originally made in English and are reported here in indirect style.

Bank of America tower at One Bryant Park, New York, one block from the site of the attack. Archive, 2019 · Photo: Zheng Zhou · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons