A Bank of America executive, identified as 32-year-old Erin Piacenti, was fatally stabbed in Times Square on Monday evening. Piacenti, who lived in Chester, New Jersey, had recently returned to work after maternity leave, having given birth five months prior. She was on her way home from work when she stopped briefly near a street vendor and was attacked.
Pamela Cisneros Lopez, 49, has been identified as the assailant who wielded two kitchen knives. Lopez first attacked Tak Ching Kam, 68, who was seriously injured. Piacenti was then stabbed in the abdomen and later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Kam was reportedly bleeding profusely from his leg, and his wife attempted to stop the bleeding as police arrived.
Witnesses described chaos as Lopez began attacking individuals. Police officers encountered Lopez, who was reportedly armed with two knives and issued threats. Footage from the scene shows officers deploying a Taser on Lopez, but it was ineffective. She then advanced on the officers and was fatally shot. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that Lopez had a documented mental health history, with two prior incidents recorded in 2018 and 2019, though she had never been arrested. Officials indicated that there is no evidence to suggest the attack was an act of terrorism.
Piacenti, vice president of business selection and conflicts at Bank of America, had recently celebrated her second wedding anniversary with her husband, Frank. The couple, both graduates of Fordham Law School, had recently welcomed their first child. The incident has raised concerns among some residents about safety in the city. Police are continuing their investigation into the events that led to the stabbings and the subsequent fatal police shooting.