Bank of America vice president fatally stabbed in Times Square attack that police said appeared random
A Bank of America vice president was killed in a stabbing in Times Square on Monday, a violent episode that has renewed concerns about street
A Bank of America vice president was killed in a stabbing in Times Square on Monday, a violent episode that has renewed concerns about street safety in New York City’s busiest tourist district. The New York Police Department said the attacks appeared random.
The victim was identified as Erin Piacenti, 32, a vice president in Bank of America’s business selection and conflicts unit, according to her LinkedIn profile. Bank of America said it was “shocked and deeply saddened” by the loss of a colleague it called a valued teammate. She was later pronounced dead after being taken to hospital.
Police say the attack was unprovoked
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the suspect, a 49-year-old woman, stabbed two people before officers intervened. Police responded quickly, and the woman was killed after that response. Tisch said the attacks appeared random and unprovoked.
The first victim, a 68-year-old man, was stabbed moments before Piacenti and survived, according to police. He was listed in stable condition.
It was sudden. And public.
Shock near a financial hub
The stabbing happened near 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue, close to Bank of America’s Manhattan office at One Bryant Park and a short walk from Times Square’s dense crowd of commuters, office workers and tourists. The bank has several other locations across New York City, which remains a central hub of U.S. finance.
The case adds to unease over safety in a city that draws millions of visitors each year and where high-profile attacks can quickly reverberate far beyond Midtown. For banks, law firms and other firms with staff moving through the area daily, the incident lands close to home.
Investigation continues
The NYPD said its Force Investigation Division is handling the case. Bank of America, in a statement sent to Reuters, said Piacenti’s death had left her colleagues devastated and extended condolences to her family and loved ones.
New York officials have not said what prompted the stabbing. For now, police are treating it as a random attack in the heart of Manhattan, and the official count stands at two victims, one of them dead.
