The family of Pamela Cisneros, the woman shot dead by NYPD officers following a fatal stabbing in Times Square this week, has spoken publicly, questioning why police used lethal force.
What happened
Cisneros, 49, carried out an unprovoked knife attack at the intersection of West 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue on Monday afternoon, fatally stabbing 32-year-old Bank of America executive Erin Piacenti and seriously injuring a 68-year-old man, all within around 20 seconds. A witness reported seeing Cisneros remove two knives from a shopping bag before approaching her first victim.
What her family said
Speaking to FOX 5 NY, Cisneros' mother questioned why officers didn't attempt to physically restrain her daughter given the number of police present, asking why they didn't simply grab her by the arm. Cisneros' brother defended her character publicly, insisting she had never been violent before.
The police account
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch has given a markedly different account of the incident, saying officers spent around four minutes attempting to persuade Cisneros to surrender. According to Tisch, officers first tried using stun guns, which failed to stop her as she continued advancing toward them. Tisch said Cisneros told officers she wasn't dropping the weapons and would rather kill them, repeating the threat before officers ultimately opened fire.
Police confirmed Cisneros had no prior arrest record, but did have a documented history of mental health-related incidents dating back to 2018 and 2019.
Remembering the victim
Piacenti, a vice president at Bank of America, had recently celebrated her second wedding anniversary. The bank issued a tribute describing her as a valued colleague who would be greatly missed, extending condolences to her family. The 68-year-old man injured in the attack remains in stable condition in hospital.
Mayor addresses the incident
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the incident during a press briefing, confirming the sequence of events and thanking the responding NYPD officers, saying their actions prevented the situation from becoming even more serious.
