Woman NYPD killed after Times Square stabbings had long mental health struggle, brother says

Key Points:

• Pamela Cisneros, who was fatally shot by police in Times Square after allegedly stabbing two strangers, had a documented history of mental health struggles, including postpartum depression and bipolar disorder, according to her brother and police records.
• The incident occurred when Cisneros reportedly pulled two knives from a bag and stabbed a 68-year-old man and 32-year-old Erin Piacenti, who later died at Bellevue Hospital; Cisneros refused police commands to drop the knives and was shot after Tasers failed to subdue her.
• Cisneros's family described her as nonviolent and noted she had been managing her mental health with medication for several years, but they were confused and saddened by the sudden violent act.
• Erin Piacenti, the victim who died, was a vice president at Bank of America, which expressed shock and condolences; Piacenti’s family declined to comment.
• Cisneros’s brother expressed sympathy for the victims' families and lamented the tragedy, acknowledging the difficulty in understanding what led to the violent incident.