New York, September 2, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
A 32-year-old Bank of America executive was stabbed to death in New York’s Times Square in an attack that unfolded before shocked tourists at the iconic landmark, police and officials said.
The victim was identified by Bank of America as Erin Piacenti, a vice president at the bank. The financial institution expressed shock and sadness over her death, describing her as a valued colleague who would be greatly missed.
The alleged attacker, identified as 45-year-old Pamela Cisneros, was shot dead by police after officers attempted to stop her while she was armed with two knives.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident as an “extraordinarily dangerous situation” in the heart of Times Square. She said Cisneros had a history of mental health issues and had previously come into contact with police on two occasions.
According to Tisch, officers attempted to subdue Cisneros with a Taser, but the device apparently failed. During the confrontation, she allegedly threatened the officers, saying she would rather kill them than drop the knives. Two officers then opened fire, killing her.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said another man had earlier been stabbed by the same woman and was in stable condition at a hospital.
Authorities said there was no indication that terrorism was behind the attack, although officials noted that mental health issues could have been a factor. Tisch described the stabbing as unprovoked.
The incident comes amid concerns over random acts of violence in New York, including several attacks involving people believed to have mental health problems. Violent crime, however, has generally been declining in the city.
Mamdani, who had campaigned on criticism of police shootings, defended the officers’ actions in this case, saying they had acted as they were trained to do. During his campaign, he had proposed having social workers and psychologists respond to incidents involving people experiencing mental health crises, but said such an approach would not have been appropriate in the latest armed confrontation.
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