A quiet afternoon in Midtown Manhattan turned violent when an armed woman stabbed two pedestrians in a random assault.
Police officers shot and killed the suspect after she refused to drop her weapons and threatened their lives.
The deceased victim was identified as Erin Piacenti, a 32-year-old Bank of America vice president from Chester, New Jersey.
The other victim, a 68-year-old man, was hospitalized in stable condition after sustaining a wound to his abdomen.
According to investigators, the suspect, 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros, pulled two sword-like knives from a bag near Seventh Avenue.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that officers confronted the suspect for several minutes before they opened fire.
During the confrontation, the suspect expressed her refusal to comply with the officers’ commands.
“I’m not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you,” Gothamist reported.
Authorities deployed Tasers in an attempt to subdue the threat, but the devices proved ineffective against her.
Her 59-year-old brother, Patrick Peralta, mentioned that his sister had suffered from bipolar disorder and postpartum depression for decades.
He stated that she had been showing signs of improvement recently with the support of her family and medical treatment.
“She was doing well, like for the last four years, five years.”
The family remains shocked by her sudden actions after she missed their regular dinners last week.
“It was like a switch, and I don’t know what happened in her mind,” per Gothamist.
Following the tragic event, a Bank of America spokesperson expressed the company’s grief regarding the loss of their employee.
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague,” according to FOX 5 NY.
The company representative added that she was highly valued by her teammates. “She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed,” per the outlets.
The statement concluded with deep condolences to her grieving family and loved ones.
“Our hearts go out to her family and all of her loved ones.”