With heavy hearts, family, friends and colleagues are mourning the tragic loss of 32-year-old Erin Piacenti of Chester, New Jersey, a Bank of America executive who was fatally stabbed Monday afternoon in the heart of Times Square in Manhattan. Her sudden death has left those who knew her facing an unimaginable loss as authorities continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the attack.

Piacenti, who worked as the bank’s vice president of business selection and conflicts, was killed after being stabbed in the abdomen, according to authorities. She was reportedly celebrating her second wedding anniversary recently, making her death even more heartbreaking for the people closest to her.

Police identified the alleged attacker as 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros Lopez of Queens. Officials said Lopez was carrying two kitchen knives inside a shopping bag when she approached a man who was waiting to cross the street with his wife.

Authorities said the man was stabbed before Lopez allegedly turned her attention toward Piacenti and attacked her. The 68-year-old man was seriously injured but remained hospitalized in stable condition.

The violent encounter then escalated as police officers confronted Lopez in Times Square. According to officials, officers attempted to use Tasers while Lopez was reportedly waving the knives, but the devices were ineffective.

Authorities said Lopez then ran toward officers while still armed with the blades. Officers fired two shots, striking Lopez and causing her to fall to the ground. Police handcuffed her and immediately began providing first aid.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident as an extraordinarily dangerous situation that unfolded in the middle of Times Square, one of Manhattan’s busiest and most heavily visited locations.

Tisch said Lopez allegedly told officers during a brief standoff that she would rather kill them than drop the knives. Investigators are continuing to examine the events leading up to the attack and the confrontation with police.

Authorities said Lopez has a documented mental health history involving the department, with incidents reported in 2018 and 2019. However, officials said she was never arrested in connection with those incidents.

Investigators have not established a clear motive for the stabbing. Officials also said there is currently no evidence indicating that the attack was connected to terrorism.

For Erin Piacenti’s loved ones, however, the circumstances surrounding the investigation cannot lessen the pain of losing a young woman whose life was suddenly taken.

At only 32 years old, Piacenti had a career, a marriage and a future ahead of her. She was known professionally as a Bank of America executive and had recently celebrated an important milestone in her personal life.

Her death has left colleagues, friends and family members mourning a woman whose life extended far beyond the tragic events that brought it to an end.

As investigators continue working to establish exactly what happened, those who loved Erin are left to remember her for who she was: a wife, family member, friend, colleague and cherished loved one.

During this difficult time, thoughts and condolences are with Erin Piacenti’s family, husband, friends, colleagues and everyone who knew and loved her.

May Erin Piacenti be remembered for her life, her accomplishments, her relationships and the memories she created with those around her—not simply for the tragedy that claimed her life.

May she rest in peace, and may her memory continue to live on in the hearts of those who loved her. Erin Piacenti will not be forgotten.