Who was Erin Piacenti? Times Square stabbing victims identified as New Jersey couple - one dead, another hospitalised

A woman hailing from New Jersey has been recognized as the victim of a knife assault in Times Square, occurring just moments prior to a fatal police shooting on Monday.Times Square stabbing: NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani arrive for a press conference at the scene of an officer-involved shooting, in Times Square, New York City, U.S. August 31, 2026. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (REUTERS)According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, two knives were found at the scene after a "random and unprovoked" attack.Who was Erin Piacenti?Erin Piacenti, 32 and residing in Chester, New Jersey, lost her life after being stabbed by 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros, according to authorities. Piacenti's husband, a 68-year-old man who was also attacked by Cisneros, is expected to recover, as per the police.Authorities had earlier disclosed that Cisneros, a resident of Queens, retrieved two knives from a Target bag and proceeded to stab two victims in an unprovoked assault at the intersection of 41st Street and Seventh Avenue at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Monday. According to officials, Piacenti was stabbed in the abdomen mere seconds after the 68-year-old was assaulted.Also Read: Who was Pierre Damas Bel? 5 things to know as Haitian immigrant dies in US amid deportation fears; family claims suicidePamela Cisneros shouted ‘I’m over this’Witnesses report that Cisneros was heard shouting, "I’m over this, I’m over this," just moments prior to the attack, according to ABC7 News.Law enforcement officials stated that officers engaged in conversation with Cisneros for four minutes while she remained armed before deploying a taser. Despite being tased, Cisneros allegedly charged at the officers wielding knives, as reported by both authorities and witnesses present at the scene. This prompted the police to draw their firearms and shoot her, according to official reports. She was subsequently declared dead at the hospital.Cisneros faced mental health issuesAuthorities stated that Cisneros had a background of mental illness and had previous documented interactions with the NYPD in 2018 and 2019."During the encounter, she told the officers, 'I'm not dropping anything. I would rather kill both of you.' She repeated, 'I will kill you,'" NYPD Commissioner Tisch said.Meanwhile, Clyde Benjamin, a worker at Times Square, said: "I knew it was mental health issues. That's a big epidemic out here, bro. We gotta get that under control," as per ABC7 News.The NYPD is set to carry out an internal investigation, and the body-worn camera footage will be made available to the public, as stated by Mayor Zohran Mamdani.