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Director and filmmaker Lexi Alexander has been criticized online after her comments about the recent stabbing in Times Square.
The Palestinian-American is best known for films such as Green Street Hooligans and the Oscar-nominated short film Johnny Flynton, but it's her political comments that have landed her in the headlines.
She took to X to comment on the recent stabbing by Pamela Cisneros in Times Square, making what many took to be an insensitive joke.
Police fatally shot Cisneros after they were informed the suspect had stabbed two people in an unprovoked attack, eventually killing one.
Cisneros refused to drop her knives moments before she was shot dead.
Before she was killed, she appeared to approach the officers in a threatening manner while wielding the knives.
The 52-year-old posted a photo on social media the day after the incident, which saw Erin Piacenti, a vice president at Bank of America, pass away as one of the stab victims.
In the image, Batman could be seen looking up at a bat signal, depicting the face of Luigi Mangione, who infamously killed Brian Thompson, the chief executive officer (CEO) of UnitedHealthcare in December 2024.
Alexander's post garnered over 36,000 likes, but numerous social media users hit back at the image, which they believed mocked the death of the new mom.
The director hit back, claiming that the criticism was the result of a 'Hasbara bot farm', referencing an Israeli public arm.
She has long called for a boycott of Bank of America due to its ties to the Middle Eastern nation.
Alexander also shared news articles that criticized her comments on Piacenti's death, stating that is the first time she has been relevant in a while.
She wrote: "Can't get this kind of press when I promote a movie, but post a Luigi meme and they're all over you,
"No wonder everybody constantly sounds crazy on here.'"
While Alexander eventually restricted her comments section, some accounts managed to give her backlash as one wrote: "Your anger is targeted at the wrong person."
Attorney Mark Yzaguirre also responded, saying: "A young woman was murdered while innocently walking down the street, and you are celebrating.
"You are absolute human garbage, and I suspect you know that deep-down."
Another added: "You know you’ve lost the plot when your politics are indistinguishable from that of a crazy woman that attacks random people with knives."
"You’re a bad person," a disgruntled user simply put.
Following Piacenti's death, Bank of America released a statement reading: "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."
Authorities said the woman fatally stabbed 32-year-old mother Erin Piacenti, a vice president for Bank of America, while she was on her way back home from work.
Piacenti had reportedly just celebrated her second wedding anniversary and was going back home to Chester, New Jersey, when the attack took place.
According to police, Cisneros also attacked a 68-year-old man from Rhode Island, who survived a stab wound in his abdomen.
He and his wife had been visiting New York to see their son, and he was about to cross West 41st Street and Seventh Avenue when the woman attacked him. He has since been discharged from the hospital.
A neighbor of his has since spoken out about the ordeal and the impact it has had on the community.
"To just find out that something that horrible could happen to somebody that close to you just makes the community feel vulnerable," the neighbor said.
Cisneros had been in hospital multiple times over the years due to her mental health, police said.
A GoFundMe has been started to help support Piacenti's newborn baby daughter Madison's future, raising $561,000 of its $750,000 goal so far.
In images, Piacenti can be seen smiling as she holds onto Madison alongside her husband, Frank.
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