Bank of America has identified slain vice president Erin Piacenti as the victim of a fatal stabbing in Times Square.
Piacenti, who served as vice president of business selection and conflicts at the bank, died at a hospital Monday after being attacked near West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue around 4:30 p.m. Local time. Bloomberg News first reported her identity on Tuesday. A 68-year-old man wounded in the same assault remains hospitalized in stable condition.
New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the daytime attack as “random and unprovoked.” Officers had no advance warning before confronting the armed suspect in one of Manhattan’s busiest pedestrian corridors, where an estimated 200,000 to 250,000 people pass through on an average day.
Responding officers first deployed a Taser in an effort to subdue the female attacker. When that failed to stop her advance toward them while armed with knives, they opened fire and killed her at the scene, Tisch said.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed during a Monday press briefing that the woman had stabbed two people while carrying several knives before the fatal police shooting.
Bank of America issued a statement mourning Piacenti’s death. “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague,” the bank said. “She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed.”
The statement continued: “Our hearts go out to her family and all of her loved ones.”
The attack occurred at the intersection of West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue, a crossroads that draws massive daily foot traffic to theaters, shops and restaurants in the heart of Midtown Manhattan.
The suspect’s identity and motive remained under investigation. Police have not disclosed what led to the confrontation or whether the attacker had any connection to either victim.
The NYPD’s use of lethal force followed the unsuccessful Taser deployment, a sequence that Tich detailed in her account of the rapidly unfolding afternoon violence. Officers made split-second decisions as the knife-wielding woman continued advancing despite the electronic attempt to incapacitate her.
Piacenti’s death marks a rare fatal stabbing in the heavily policed tourist district, where the concentration of pedestrians and visible security presence typically deters violent crime. The attack played out before numerous onlookers in the bustling corridor.
The 68-year-old male survivor’s stable condition offered one measure of relief amid the broader tragedy, though authorities have not released his identity or details of his injuries.
Bank of America’s tribute emphasized Piacenti’s standing within the institution, framing her as both a professional colleague and a personal loss to those who worked alongside her.