Bank of America vice president identified as victim in Times Square attack

A Bank of America vice president has been identified as a victim in a stabbing in Times Square.

Erin Piacenti died from her wounds after the afternoon attack on Monday in the New York City pedestrian thoroughfare, according to the Reuters news agency. Bloomberg News first reported Piacenti’s identity on Tuesday.

Authorities had previously said a female attacker stabbed a 32-year-old woman and a 68-year-old man on West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue about 4:30pm (20:30 GMT) on Monday. Police fatally shot the suspect at the scene.

The man was in a stable condition in hospital.

“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the ⁠tragic loss of our colleague,” Bank of America said in a statement to Reuters.

“She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to her family ‌and all of her loved ones.”

New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the attack appeared random and unprovoked.

She said responding officers opened fire after trying to Taser the attacker but failed to stop ‌her from advancing towards them with knives.

The attack came weeks after Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty to federal charges connected to the killing of another corporate executive on a New York street. That shooting in December 2024 killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and occurred on West 54th Street near Sixth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.

Speaking in federal court, Mangione admitted to intentionally targeting Thompson as he pleaded guilty to interstate stalking resulting in death.

He faces separate state charges related to the killing although that trial has been postponed in the wake of the federal guilty plea.

Called the “Crossroads of the World”, Times Square sees from 200,000 to 250,000 pedestrians transit through it a day, according to its official website.