A 32-year-old mother who was fatally stabbed in Times Square had just returned to work after maternity leave and recently welcomed her first child.
Erin Piacenti was killed on Aug. 31 in what New York City police described as an unprovoked attack.
Piacenti, a vice president in the business selection and conflicts division at Bank of America, had completed her first day back at work following maternity leave and was heading home when she was attacked, according to The New York Times.
She and her husband, Frank Piacenti, had recently moved from Manhattan’s Upper East Side to a home in Chester, New Jersey, about 40 miles west of New York City.
Just days before her death, Piacenti shared a family photo on Instagram showing her smiling alongside her husband while holding their baby daughter.
The deadly attack unfolded shortly before 4:30 p.m. in the heart of Times Square.
Police say 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros approached Piacenti and stabbed her in the abdomen without provocation.
Moments earlier, Cisneros had allegedly attacked another stranger.
Police said she stabbed 68-year-old Tak Kam after he exited the subway. Kam was visiting New York City to see his son and was taken to Bellevue Hospital.
He is expected to recover.
NYPD officers in the area quickly confronted Cisneros following the attacks and surrounded her.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said officers repeatedly ordered Cisneros to drop the weapons, but she refused.
“I’m not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you,” Cisneros allegedly told the officers, according to Tisch.
She then allegedly threatened, “I will kill you.”
Video recorded at the scene showed Cisneros waving knives and advancing toward officers.
Police initially attempted to stop her using a Taser, but it was unsuccessful. Officers then opened fire, fatally shooting her.
Cisneros was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The officers involved were also taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Police recovered the knives at the scene, and the NYPD Force Investigation Division is investigating the fatal police shooting.
Authorities said Cisneros had no criminal arrest record but did have what Tisch described as a documented mental health history with the NYPD.
Police records reportedly show one incident involving public intoxication in 2019 and another involving a possible suicide attempt in 2020.
Following Piacenti’s death, tributes poured in from those who knew her professionally and personally.
Bank of America released a statement saying the company was “shocked and deeply saddened” by the death of its employee.
“She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed,” the company said. “Our hearts go out to her family and all of her loved ones.”
Fordham Law School, where Piacenti met her husband, also remembered her following the tragedy.
“Erin was a vibrant and cherished member of the Fordham Law family,” the school’s dean wrote in a message to alumni on Sept. 1.
The school remembered Piacenti for her academic dedication, “sharp legal mind,” warmth and generosity toward others.
