Story perspectives

NYPD releases bodycam, investigates Times Square stabbing shooting

9/1/2026

Summary

Police Shoot Stabber

Police shot and killed 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros after she stabbed two people in Times Square.
She stabbed a 68-year-old man near West 41st and Seventh Avenue, who remained in stable condition.
She stabbed 32-year-old Erin Piacenti near West 42nd Street, who died.
The stabbings occurred within about 20 seconds after tasers failed and two officers fired.
Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the attack random, unprovoked and not terrorism-related, opening a probe.

Summary

Mayor Releases Footage

Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that body-worn camera footage of the shooting will be released.
NYPD Force Investigation Division opened an internal review of the shooting.
Police recovered two large kitchen knives from the suspect’s Target bag at the scene.
Bank of America issued a statement mourning Piacenti and calling her a valued teammate.
Community member Clyde Benjamin warned that mental-health issues constitute a citywide epidemic.

History

Historical Context

In 1999, NYPD officers fatally shot unarmed immigrant Amadou Diallo in the Bronx, sparking nationwide debate over police use of force. The city settled the civil suit for $3 million, while Commissioner Raymond Kelly instituted mandatory de-escalation training for 20,000 officers. Today's Times Square stabbing response, with Mayor Zohran Mamdani ordering body-camera release and NYPD Force Investigation Division reviewing the shooting, mirrors those accountability demands. The precedent suggests intensified public scrutiny and potential policy reforms, pressuring the department to balance rapid threat neutralization with transparent oversight.

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Police Shoot Stabber

Police shot and killed 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros after she stabbed two people in Times Square.
She stabbed a 68-year-old man near West 41st and Seventh Avenue, who remained in stable condition.
She stabbed 32-year-old Erin Piacenti near West 42nd Street, who died.
The stabbings occurred within about 20 seconds after tasers failed and two officers fired.
Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the attack random, unprovoked and not terrorism-related, opening a probe.

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