A Bank of America executive, identified as Erin Piacenti, 32, was fatally stabbed in a "random and unprovoked" attack in Times Square on Wednesday. Piacenti, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and Fordham Law School, had recently returned to work after a five-month maternity leave.
According to reports, Piacenti had posted a photo just four days before her death, smiling with her infant daughter and husband, expressing happiness and gratitude for her time off. She was on maternity leave for five months to care for her newborn.
Pamela Cisneros, 49, is accused of fatally stabbing Piacenti and wounding another passerby before being shot and killed by police. The incident occurred near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue.
Bank of America released a statement expressing deep sadness over the loss of Piacenti, describing her as a "valued teammate." Fordham Law also issued a statement mourning the loss of their alumna, extending sympathies to her husband and family.
Piacenti was a resident of Chester, New Jersey, and had attended Villa Walsh Academy before pursuing higher education. She and her husband, Frank, were reportedly celebrating their second wedding anniversary and had recently traveled. Her grandmother described her as a "beautiful, beautiful girl."