Erin Piacenti, a 32-year-old Bank of America employee from New Jersey, was killed after being stabbed in Times Square on Monday, August 31, 2026. Police identified her publicly the following day.[2][4]
This page separates the sequence described by police from facts independently established by news organizations. The investigation was still developing when this page was updated on September 2.
What police said happened
The attack began shortly before 4:30 p.m. near Seventh Avenue and West 42nd Street, beside the NYPD substation at Times Square. According to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a 49-year-old woman pulled two knives from a shopping bag and first stabbed a 68-year-old man who had exited the subway and was waiting to cross the street with his wife.[1]
Police said the same woman stabbed Piacenti seconds later. Both victims were taken to a hospital. Piacenti died, while police initially described the man as being in stable condition.[1]
ABC7 New York later reported that the man was released from Bellevue Hospital late Tuesday afternoon.[5]
The Associated Press reported that the NYPD later identified the woman accused of the attacks as Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens. The identification and description of her actions came from police; this site does not independently characterize her medical history or speculate about why the attack occurred.[2]
Police response
Videos recorded by bystanders showed officers surrounding Cisneros while she held two knives. Tisch said officers spent several minutes telling her to put the knives down. Officers then used a stun gun, which did not incapacitate her. Two officers shot her after she moved toward them while still holding the knives, according to police. Officers provided first aid, and she later died.[1]
These details describe the public police account and visible portions of bystander footage reported by AP. The NYPD Force Investigation Division was investigating the police shooting.[3]
What authorities said about motive
Police described the two stabbings as random and unprovoked and said there was no evidence that the incident was a terrorist attack.[1] Those descriptions are attributed to authorities because the investigation had not produced a complete public account of motive.
This site does not diagnose Cisneros or treat reported police encounters as a medical diagnosis. Claims about mental health remain attributed to police or to clearly identified reporting.
Identification of Erin Piacenti
The NYPD publicly identified Piacenti on September 1. AP reported that Bank of America confirmed she worked for the company and issued a statement expressing shock and sadness at the loss of a colleague.[2]
AP also reported, based on information from Fordham Law, that Piacenti earned a law degree there in 2021. NBC New York reported that she had completed her undergraduate education at the University of Pennsylvania.[2][3]
What remains unknown
At the time of this update, authorities had not provided a fuller public explanation of motive. The identity of the 68-year-old man had not been released in the cited reports, and this site will not attempt to identify him. ABC7 reported that he had been released from the hospital.[5]
Because the investigation is developing, later official findings may change or add to the initial account. Material changes will be reflected in the case timeline and in this page’s updated date.