Letitia James' Investigation into Times Square Shooting Faces GOP Criticism Regarding Mental Health Issues

<p>New York Attorney General Letitia James is facing scrutiny after initiating a legally required investigation into the police shooting of a woman who fatally stabbed Erin Piacenti, a Bank of America executive, in Times Square. James' office announced on Wednesday that it will investigate the death of Pamela Cisneros, who was wielding two large knives when officers confronted her after the stabbing. She was shot when she did not comply with orders to drop the weapons and moved toward the officers.</p><p>Under state law, the Attorney General's Office of Special Investigation is mandated to investigate all deaths caused by police officers. However, Republican candidate for Attorney General Saritha Komatireddy criticized the investigation, arguing that it does not address the underlying issue of mental health. She stated, "The problem is that we have people who are known dangerous individuals, people with documented mental illness. They've been in the courts before, or they've been to the hospitals before. The police know exactly who they are, but we have no ability to take care of them."</p><p>A spokesperson for James accused Komatireddy of attempting to gain political advantage from the situation, stating, "Saritha Komatireddy wants to be Attorney General but doesn’t understand the law. Under New York’s Executive Law, the Office of the Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation is required to investigate any incident where a police officer’s actions may have caused a death, including this one."</p><p>New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, known for his critical stance on police, commended the officers involved in stopping Cisneros. He said, "I want to thank the NYPD officers who stepped in and prevented a horrific attack from becoming even worse."</p><p>New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch reported that while Cisneros did not have an arrest record, police had responded to calls regarding her mental health crises on two occasions. In March 2019, she attempted suicide by jumping onto subway tracks and was subsequently hospitalized. In March 2018, police found her in Midtown acting belligerently and intoxicated.</p><p>Under New York's Mental Hygiene Law, police and doctors can take individuals to the hospital for a psychological hold if they are deemed a risk to themselves or others. However, those with severe mental illnesses are often released shortly after being admitted.</p><p>Komatireddy emphasized the ongoing issue of mental illness in public spaces, stating, "I was there in Times Square — just a couple of days after this fatal stabbing — and I was walking around and saw severely mentally ill people on the street. It's still happening every day, and we need someone who's actually going to propose a real solution and way forward."</p><p>The New York State Office of Mental Health oversees the state's mental health system, which includes 23 psychiatric centers and 6,500 programs managed by local governments and nonprofits. Komatireddy proposed creating a new Office of Civil Commitment to monitor high-risk individuals. She explained, "The Office of Civil Commitment that I'm going to launch will be staffed with both law enforcement personnel and also physicians, and you need both because, under state law, the law requires that physicians certify that someone has the mental state required for involuntary civil commitment."</p><p>Greene County Sheriff Peter Kusminsky noted that his deputies lack training to handle psychiatric crises and that there are insufficient facilities for individuals needing care. He stated, "Additionally, we really struggle when we have people in custody who we aren't equipped to handle, and secure beds are even harder to find." Komatireddy added, "Hotels and motels don’t have doctors, don’t have medicine, don’t have therapy. The state needs to step in."