The 32-year-old Bank of America executive fatally stabbed in Times Square on Monday had recently returned to her vice president role after giving birth to a baby girl, according to reports.
A woman first stabbed a 68-year-old man, then stabbed Erin Piacenti in the stomach during what was Piacenti’s first week at work following five months of maternity leave, The New York Times reported.
Days before the deadly attack, Piacenti shared a social media photo that showed her holding her baby girl alongside her husband, according to the newspaper. In the post, she mentioned her daughter’s recent baptism and expressed gratitude for her months of maternity leave.
Her daughter was her first child, named Madison, per a GoFundMe established in support of the girl’s future.
Piacenti started working for Bank of America in February 2025, according to her LinkedIn profile. She was the company’s vice president for business selection & conflicts, Us previously reported.
She was on her way home from work when police said she was stabbed by Pamela Cisneros, 49, in Times Square in New York, according to The New York Times. Afterward, she was declared dead at Bellevue hospital.
The man initially stabbed by Cisneros seconds earlier survived the attack and was taken to a hospital, according to police.
NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a Monday, August 31, news conference, that the stabbings were “random and unprovoked.”
After allegedly stabbing Piacenti, Cisneros was fatally shot by police after she was accused of not complying with orders to let go of two knives she had been armed with, according to Tisch, The Journal News reported.
Cisneros had a “documented mental health history,” Tisch said.
Ahead of Piacenti’s death, she and her husband, Frank, recently bought their first home in Chester, New Jersey, according to property records viewed by People. They were both lawyers.
The couple met while students at Fordham University, Joseph Landau, the dean of Fordham’s law school, wrote in a letter addressed to alumni, according to The New York Times.
“Erin was a vibrant and cherished member of the Fordham Law family,” the letter said. “During her time at Fordham, she distinguished herself through her academic devotion, sharp legal mind, warmth and generosity to her peers.”
In a statement on her death, a Bank of America representative said, per The Journal News, that: “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague.”
“She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to her family and all of her loved ones,” the statement continued.
