New York Attorney General Letitia James has initiated an investigation into the police shooting of Pamela Cisneros, who fatally stabbed Erin Piacenti, a Bank of America executive, in Times Square. The incident occurred shortly after Piacenti returned to work from maternity leave. James’ office issued a statement confirming the investigation.
Cisneros was holding two large knives when police confronted her after the stabbing. Officers asked her to drop the weapons. When she advanced towards them without complying, they shot her. State law requires the Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation to investigate any death caused by police officers.
Saritha Komatireddy, the Republican candidate for Attorney General, has called for more preventive measures to stop attacks by individuals with mental health issues. She commented, “We have people with known mental illness histories, yet there are no systems in place to care for them.”
A campaign spokesperson for James criticized Komatireddy for using the situation for political leverage. The spokesperson emphasized that legal obligations dictate the investigation by James’ office.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised the officers for their intervention. Meanwhile, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch disclosed that Cisneros had two previous encounters with police during mental health crises, including an attempted suicide in 2019.
The state’s Mental Hygiene Law permits police and doctors to hospitalize individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others. Yet, many are released shortly after admission. Komatireddy proposed creating an Office of Civil Commitment to focus on monitoring high-risk individuals. She suggested having both law enforcement and physicians within this office to manage involuntary civil commitments effectively.
Greene County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky mentioned the challenges his deputies face during psychiatric crises. Without adequate mental health facilities, those experiencing crises often end up in hotels due to a lack of hospital beds. He highlighted the need for better infrastructure and resources for mental health care.
Elaine Mallon writes for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, covering national politics.
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