Key facts
- Erin Piacenti, a Bank of America vice president, was fatally stabbed in Times Square.
- The attack was described by police as unprovoked.
- A GoFundMe for Piacenti's five-month-old daughter, Madison, has raised over $615,000.
- Piacenti was 32 years old and had recently returned from maternity leave.
- The assailant, Pamela Cisneros, was killed by police at the scene.
Erin Piacenti, a 32-year-old vice president at Bank of America, was fatally stabbed in Times Square on Monday afternoon, shortly after returning from maternity leave. The attack, described by New York City police as unprovoked, also resulted in another victim being injured before the assailant, Pamela Cisneros, 49, was shot and killed by officers at the scene.
Piacenti, who had been with Bank of America for approximately 18 months, worked in the Business Selection and Conflicts group within the investment bank. Her colleagues and university expressed shock and sorrow over her death.
A GoFundMe page established to support Piacenti's five-month-old daughter, Madison, has rapidly raised over $615,000 from more than 6,000 contributors. The fundraising page highlighted Piacenti's dedication to her family, describing her as a loving mother, partner, daughter, and sister.
Piacenti met her husband, Frank Piacenti, at Fordham Law School, where they both worked on the Fordham Law Review. Before joining Bank of America, she worked at the law firm Davis Polk for over three years, focusing on mergers and acquisitions. During her undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania, she was involved in the Alpha Phi sorority and an a capella group.
Her death has sent ripples through Wall Street, drawing comparisons to the killing of Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner just over a year prior, underscoring a growing concern for safety among financial professionals.