CHESTER, NJ — A Chester woman who was fatally stabbed in New York City this week in a random knife attack has been identified as a new mother who worked as a bank executive.
Erin Piacenti, 32, was one of two people stabbed by a woman wielding two knives during an incident Monday afternoon in Times Square, officials said. Piacenti was rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Details on Piacenti have surfaced following police identifying her as one of two victims.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Piacenti was a Vice President at Bank of America, a role she has held since February 2025.
She attended the University of Pennsylvania and got her law degree from Fordham University after graduating from Villa Walsh Academy in Morristown in 2012.
"We are profoundly saddened by Erin Piacenti's tragic and untimely death," University of Pennsylvania representatives said in a statement. "Our thoughts go out to her family, friends, and all those who knew and loved her at this difficult time."
The Daily Pennsylvanian, the university's newspaper, reported the New Jersey native was a member of Alpha Phi sorority and Dischord A Cappella. She also served as an alumni admissions interviewer for the University after graduating.
According to the New York Times, Piacenti had recently finished her maternity leave to care for her now five-month-old baby.
Days before the stabbing, she celebrated her second wedding anniversary with her husband, according to the New York Post.
A Bank of America spokesperson told the Post that the organization is "shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague."
Stabbing Details
On Monday, around 4:30 p.m., police were called to West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue on reports of a disorderly person.
Police said that the woman, later identified as Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens, brandished two knives and advanced towards police. Videos from the scene show her stabbing the knives in the air as officers surround her.
After Cisneros refused to drop the weapons and continued advancing towards police, officers fatally shot her, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. She was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.
It was after the confrontation that police learned that Cisneros had stabbed a 68-year-old man at West 41 Street. He was in stable condition, officials said on Tuesday.
About 20 seconds earlier, Cisneros fatally stabbed Piacenti in the abdomen at 42nd Street, according to police.
The officers were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation. The knives were recovered at the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing by the NYPD Force Investigation Division.
"I'm deeply saddened to report that one of the victims has passed away," Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a Tuesday press conference. "I want to thank the NYPD officers, who stepped in and prevented a horrific attack from becoming even worse."
Mamdani added that there would be an internal investigation into the shooting, and body cam footage would be released in the future.
More: Morris Co. Woman Stabbed To Death In Times Square, Cops Say
— With reporting from David Luces
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Mendham Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.