It was every family’s worst nightmare. Erin Piacenti had just spent five months on maternity leave after welcoming her daughter. She and her husband had recently purchased their first home in New Jersey. It was her first week back at work at Bank of America, where the 32-year-old attorney was a VP of business selections and conflicts.
On Monday afternoon, while standing on West 41st St., Piacenti was stabbed in the abdomen by a woman named Pamela Cisneros. She was taken to the hospital, where was pronounced dead, according to the New York Times.
It’s a seemingly random tragedy. Piacenti was one of two people stabbed; the other has survived his injuries. Piacenti has been remembered by BofA, which said in a statement: “We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of our colleague. She was a valued teammate who will be greatly missed. Our hearts go out to her family and all of her loved ones.”
Piacenti was a 2016 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and a 2021 graduate of Fordham Law School; that’s where she met her husband. The law school’s dean wrote in a letter to alumni that she was “a vibrant and cherished member of the Fordham Law family.” “During her time at Fordham,” he wrote, “she distinguished herself through her academic devotion, sharp legal mind, warmth and generosity to her peers.”
Piacenti’s killing recalls the tragic death of Wesley LePatner, the 43-year-old Blackstone executive who was killed in a shooting a year ago. That was also a senseless tragedy. Four people were killed that day; the gunman was not targeting LePatner or Blackstone. LePatner was one of the highest-ranking women at Blackstone, where she led the $70 billion Blackstone Real Estate Investment Trust.
We’re honored that her husband, Evan LePatner, will be joining us at this year’s Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit in October. He has founded the Wesley Mittman LePatner Foundation, which is working to honor her legacy by supporting future generations of leaders who wish to create impact in the world beyond their careers in business.
We’ll learn more about that work, and honor LePatner’s legacy, in October. And today, we’re thinking of Piacenti.
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Subscribe here.
ALSO IN THE HEADLINES
Women's numbers as TV creators and lead characters are down from a decade ago. Women created 24% of current streaming shows, down from 36% a year earlier. Last year's 36% stat seems to have been a temporary surge—not a lasting change for women's shows getting greenlit.
Serena + Venus are back. The Williams sisters will play doubles in the opening round at the U.S. Open tomorrow. It's been four years since they played a major together (Serena had to pull out of their Wimbledon doubles match in July.) They're 44 and 46, and playing together is a throwback across all of professional tennis—which doesn't see many superstar doubles pairings anymore.
A bipartisan censure. The House voted 413-2 to censure Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) over allegations that he sexually harassed two young staffers and created a hostile work environment. Edwards expressed regret but said "regret is not an admission of sexual harassment." There's growing concern in Congress about sexual misconduct, and the Democratic and Republican women' caucuses may work together on a legislative package to address the issue.
ON MY RADAR
In an MLB first, Yankee Stadium now has an official tampon The Athletic
Furious and the dance of women's anger NYT
Olivia Rodrigo reinvents the feminist music festival NYT
PARTING WORDS
"I was ready for depression. I had heard about that all over the place for years."
— Olivia Munn on how postpartum anxiety took her by surprise