Bank of America VP killed in Times Square stabbing attack
A Bank of America vice president was killed and another person was injured during a random stabbing attack in Times Square
1 dead, 1 injured in stabbing spree in Times Square
Fox News' Todd Piro provides details on an incident in Times Square after a woman armed with kitchen knives stabbed two people, killing one. NYPD officers reportedly deployed tasers before shooting the suspect.
Bank of America Vice President Erin Piacenti was killed during a high-profile stabbing in New York City's Times Square on Monday.
The New York City Police Department (NYPD) identified Erin Piacenti, 32, of Chester, New Jersey, as the deceased victim.
Bank of America acknowledged Piacenti's death in an email obtained by Reuters.
"We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague. She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to her family and all of her loved ones," the bank wrote in the email.
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Erin Piacenti, the Bank of America Vice President who was killed in a stabbing attack in New York City's Times Square on Monday Aug. 31, 2026. (Facebook/Erin Piacenti)
Piacenti was one of two people stabbed in the violent attack Monday, the other a 68-year-old male who is now in stable condition, according to the NYPD.
After receiving a 911 call shortly before 4:30 p.m. on Monday, NYPD officers found a 49-year-old woman wielding two knives in Times Square.
The NYPD identified her as Pamela Cisneros, of Queen, New York. Officers shot Cisneros, who was later pronounced dead at the hospital, the department said.
A witness told investigators that Cisneros pulled two butcher knives from a red Target bag, waving the blades at the 68-year-old man before stabbing him in the abdomen. The pair of stabbings occurred within 20 seconds of each other, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a Monday press conference.
Tisch also called the stabbing spree a "random and unprovoked attack."
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a press conference after NYPD officers shot and killed a knife-wielding woman who fatally stabbed a woman and injured a man in Times Square on Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. (Kyle Mazza/UNF News via CNP/Sipa USA / Reuters)
Officers entered into a tense standoff with Cisneros before ultimately shooting her, Tisch relayed.
During the four-minute stalemate, officers repeatedly warned her to drop the weapons, to which she replied "I’m not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you," Tisch explained.
Cisneros then allegedly began advancing towards the officers waving her blades. Officers, according to Tisch, deployed tasers, which did not slow Cisneros' advance. It was at that point two officers discharged their firearms, striking Cisneros.
A photo showing two knives recovered at the scene is displayed during a press conference following a fatal stabbing incident in Times Square near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, New York, on Aug. 31, 2026. (Kyle Mazza/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"Our officers were confronted with a rapidly evolving threat, with countless innocent people around them," Tisch said. "In that moment, they did what we train them to do."
While Cisneros had no criminal record, she had multiple police interactions involving mental health episodes, Tisch said.
"One life cut far too short by a senseless act of violence," Tisch said. "There are family members and loved ones who are now confronting the unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with them," she added.
Erin Piacenti, the Bank of America Vice President who was tragically killed in a stabbing attack in New York City's Times Square on Monday Aug. 31, 2026, seen pictured on her wedding day. (Facebook/Erin Piacenti / Unknown)
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Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price contributed to this report.