The vibrant heart of New York City, Times Square, was the scene of a tragic incident on Monday afternoon. A 32-year-old woman lost her life, and another victim was rushed to the hospital following a double stabbing. The suspect, a 49-year-old woman wielding two knives, was shot by police during the altercation. All three individuals were transported to Bellevue Hospital, where the female victim and the suspect were later pronounced dead.
The deceased victim was identified as Erin Piacenti, a valued employee of Bank of America. The male victim, a 68-year-old man, remains in stable condition. New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the attack as “unprovoked” and noted that the stabbings occurred just 20 seconds apart.
The Unfolding of the Tragedy
The incident began near West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. The suspect approached a man who had just exited the subway and was standing with his wife, waiting to cross the street. A witness reported seeing the suspect remove two knives from a red Target bag before approaching the first victim.
“The subject waved the knives before stabbing a 68-year-old man in the right side of his abdomen,” Tisch stated at a news conference. “This appears to be a random and unprovoked attack.” The 68-year-old victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital and is now stable.
The suspect continued up Seventh Avenue towards 42nd Street, where she stabbed the second victim, Erin Piacenti. Piacenti did not survive after being taken to the hospital. Bank of America released a statement expressing their shock and sadness over the loss of their colleague.
The Confrontation with Police
The suspect continued on Seventh Avenue, where police attempted to get her to drop her weapons. According to Tisch, the encounter lasted for four minutes. “During the encounter, she told the officers, ‘I’m not dropping anything, I’d rather kill both of you’. She repeated ‘I will kill you’,” Tisch recounted.
The suspect waved the knives towards the officers, who then used Tasers. However, the Tasers were “ineffective” and did not stop her from advancing towards them. NYPD officers then shot the woman, who was later pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital.
The suspect was later identified as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros of Queens, New York City. She had no prior arrest history but had a “documented mental health history with the NYPD, with one incident in 2018 and one in 2019”, Tisch added.
The Aftermath and Reactions
A tourist from Boston, Melinda Puzon, told the BBC’s US reporting partner CBS News that she heard the shots and saw “so many people on the street”. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani thanked NYPD officers who stepped in and “prevented a horrific attack from becoming even worse”.
This tragic event has once again highlighted the importance of mental health awareness and the need for effective intervention strategies. The incident also raises questions about public safety in one of the most heavily touristed and policed spots in New York City.
