NYPD Fatally Shoots Knife-Wielding Woman

NYPD officers fatally shot a woman in Times Square on Monday afternoon after police said she stabbed two people in what Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described as a random attack. The confrontation unfolded near Seventh Avenue and West 43rd Street shortly after 4:20 p.m., according to Tisch. Police identified the woman as Pamela Cisneros, 49, of Queens. One stabbing victim, Erin Piacenti, 32, later died at Bellevue Hospital, while a 68-year-old man was hospitalized and later released, local media reported. ### Where did the attack begin? West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue was where the episode started, Tisch said at an evening briefing. She said Cisneros pulled two knives from a red Target bag and stabbed a 68-year-old man in the abdomen as he waited to cross the street with his wife. Seventh Avenue near 42nd Street was the site of the second stabbing, according to Tisch. (cbsnews.com) She said Cisneros then moved north and stabbed Piacenti, 32, in the abdomen in what she called another unprovoked attack. The two stabbings happened within about 20 seconds, Tisch said. ### Who were the victims and the woman police shot? (cbsnews.com) Erin Piacenti, 32, of Chester, New Jersey, was identified by police and CBS New York as the woman who died after the stabbing. CBS New York reported that Bank of America said in a statement that Piacenti was a colleague and “a valued teammate who will be greatly missed.” (cbsnews.com) The 68-year-old male victim was from Rhode Island and had been visiting family in New York, CBS New York and ABC7 reported. ABC7 said he was released from Bellevue late Tuesday afternoon. Police said there was no known connection between either victim and Cisneros. Pamela Cisneros, 49, was identified by police as the woman officers shot. (cbsnews.com) Tisch said Cisneros had a documented mental health history with the NYPD from incidents in 2018 and 2019, but no arrests. ABC7 reported police said the attack did not appear to be terror-related. ### What did officers say happened before they fired? (cbsnews.com) Witnesses flagged down officers near the Times Square substation after the stabbings, Tisch said. She said officers confronted Cisneros on Seventh Avenue between West 42nd and West 43rd streets and ordered her for about four minutes to drop the knives. “I’m not dropping anything. (cbsnews.com) I would rather kill both of you,” Tisch said Cisneros told officers. Tisch said Cisneros also repeated, “I will kill you.” Video described by CBS New York and ABC7 showed the woman holding two knives as officers backed away and gave commands. Multiple officers used Tasers before two officers fired their service weapons, Tisch said. (cbsnews.com) Two knives were recovered at the scene, and Tisch said the encounter was captured on officers’ body-worn cameras. ### What investigations follow a fatal NYPD shooting? The NYPD Force Investigation Division handles the department’s most serious force cases, including police firearm discharges and cases in which a person dies or is seriously injured, according to NYPD use-of-force materials. (cbsnews.com) The department said its Force Investigation Division was investigating this shooting. New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation also investigates deaths that may have been caused by police officers under state law, and the office has released body-camera footage in other NYPD shooting cases this year. That indicates the Times Square shooting is likely to face review outside the department as well. (cbsnews.com) ### What comes next? NYPD has said body-worn camera footage exists from the encounter, though the department had not publicly released it in the reporting reviewed here. In other recent officer-involved shootings, the department released body-camera video weeks after the incident. The next formal steps are likely to include the NYPD Force Investigation Division’s internal review and a state attorney general review of the death. (ag.ny.gov) Any public update would most likely come through NYPD statements, a city release of body-camera footage, or an announcement from James’ Office of Special Investigation. (cbsnews.com)