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

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

Erin Piacenti died from her wounds following the afternoon attack in the iconic New York City thoroughfare the day earlier, according to Reuters news agency. Bloomberg News first reported Piacenti’s identity.

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

The man was hospitalised in stable condition.

“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 earlier the attack appeared random and unprovoked.

She said that responding officers had opened fire after attempting to taser the attacker, but had failed to stop ‌her from advancing towards them with knives.

The attack comes weeks after Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty to federal charges connected to the December 2024 fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

That attack occurred on West 54th Street near 6th 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.

Dubbed the Crossroads of the World, between 200,000 to 250,000 pedestrians transit through Times Square a day, according to its official website.