EXCLUSIVE: Mother, brother of woman who stabbed 2 in Times Square speaks out

Published September 1, 2026 5:35 PM EDT

The mother of 49-year-old Pamela Cisneros, who stabbed two people in Times Square, speaks out in an exclusive interview with FOX 5 NY's Lisa Evers.

‘Why didn't they grab her?'

What we know:

Police officials say that Cisneros stabbed 32-year-old Erin Piacenti and a 68-year-old man within the span of 20 seconds before being stopped by officers. She was then fatally shot by police after she started swinging the knives and rushed toward officers.

Her mother said in an exclusive interview earlier today, Sept. 1, "There were so many police... why didn't they grab her by the arm?"

Cisneros' brother added, "She's never been violent."

Cellphone video of the incident showed officers confronting Cisneros. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a press conference that the officers spent about four minutes trying to persuade her to drop the knives before using stun guns and ultimately firearms as she advanced toward them. 

Cisneros, who had a documented mental health history with incidents in 2018 and 2019, was fatally shot. She had no arrest history with the NYPD. 

"She told the officers, ‘I’m not dropping anything, I would rather kill both of you,'" Tisch said. "She repeated, ‘I will kill you.’"

The Source: This article includes information provided by the NYPD and an exclusive interview with FOX 5 NY's Lisa Evers.

Crime and Public Safety