Tears as Bank of America Vice President Killed in Times Square Stabbing
- A Bank of America vice president was stabbed to death in broad daylight near Times Square in New York City on Monday, August 31, 2026
- The attack on West 42nd Street appeared random and unprovoked, and a second victim, aged 68, was also stabbed and hospitalised
- Police shot and killed the suspected attacker, a 49-year-old woman with a documented mental health history, at the scene
PAY ATTENTION: Mark Legit.ng as a preferred source, and our content will appear higher in your Google feed!
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues.
New York, USA - A Bank of America vice president has died after being stabbed in a random attack at Times Square in Midtown Manhattan, the bank confirmed on Tuesday, September 1.
As reported by Reuters, the victim was identified as Erin Piacenti by the New York City Police Department.
Source: Facebook
Piacenti, 32, who joined the bank 18 months before her death, served as a vice president in Bank of America's business selection and conflicts unit, according to her LinkedIn profile.
The attack happened on Monday, August 31, at around 4:24 p.m. local time near the intersection of West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue, bringing a busy stretch of the city's tourist centre to a standstill as emergency vehicles converged on the area.
A second person, an unnamed 68-year-old man, also suffered stab wounds during the incident and was in a stable condition, according to the Guardian UK.
Bank of America responds to colleague's death
The bank described Piacenti's death as a devastating loss.
"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," Bank of America said in a statement to Reuters.
Matthew Koder, the bank's president of Global Corporate & Investment Banking, described Piacenti in an internal memo as a "cherished teammate and friend."
He added that the bank's security teams were "fully engaged in supporting the police investigation here, and in addressing the ongoing safety and security of our offices and teammates."
Bank of America's Manhattan office is situated close to Times Square at One Bryant Park.
Suspect shot dead by US police
When officers reached the scene, they found Pamela Cisneros, a 49-year-old woman, holding two large knives and moving towards them. Police shot Cisneros, who was later pronounced dead at the scene. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the attack was unprovoked and that Cisneros had a documented mental health history.
The incident adds to a string of violent attacks targeting finance professionals in New York in recent years. In 2025, a senior Blackstone executive was shot dead when a gunman entered a Midtown Manhattan office building. In 2022, a Goldman Sachs employee was killed in an unprovoked shooting on a train between Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead outside a Manhattan hotel in 2024, in what authorities described as a premeditated murder. In August, Luigi Mangione admitted in court to fatally shooting Thompson.
Despite the high-profile nature of these incidents, overall crime figures in New York City have been declining. The NYPD said in August that the city recorded its fewest shooting incidents, shooting victims, and murders on record for both the month of July and the first seven months of the year combined.
See a photo of Bank of America's Erin Piacenti and her killer below via X:
Read more US news
- Former US Vice President Cheney who served alongside George Bush dies at 84
- Alleged Christian killings: EU speaks as China tackles US' Donald Trump
Gunman opens fire near Trump's White House
Earlier, Legit.ng reported the death of a man who opened fire near a White House security checkpoint.
It was the third recent incident of gunfire in the vicinity of President Trump.
The man was in the area of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue when he “pulled a weapon from his bag" and began firing. Secret Service officers returned fire and hit the suspect, who died at a hospital, the agency said.
Source: Legit.ng
