A horrifying shooting unfolded Monday evening in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, leaving five people dead, including a New York police officer and the gunman, and another man critically wounded, officials said.
The shooting occurred during rush hour at the 345 Park Avenue skyscraper, a high-profile office tower that houses major firms such as Blackstone, KPMG, and the National Football League’s headquarters.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch identified the gunman as 27-year-old Shane Tamura, a Las Vegas resident with a documented history of mental illness. Tamura had driven cross-country to New York in recent days, Tisch said during a late-night news conference.
Tamura entered the lobby of the Park Avenue tower around 5:20 p.m. armed with a rifle. He fatally shot three people in the building, two men and one woman, before taking an elevator to the 33rd floor, where he opened fire again in the offices of a property management company, authorities said. He ultimately turned the weapon on himself and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.
A fourth male victim was gravely wounded and remains in critical condition at a local hospital. “He’s fighting for his life,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams told reporters outside the scene.
One of the victims was NYPD officer Didarul Islam, a father of two with a third child on the way. Officer Islam was working as part of a department program that assigns uniformed officers as security in private commercial buildings.
“Pure evil came to the heart of our city and struck innocent people and one of our police officers who were protecting those people,” said Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association. “Didarul Islam gave his life doing what he was sworn to do, protect others.”
Commissioner Tisch stated that preliminary investigations suggest the gunman acted alone. A motive for the shooting has yet to be determined, and there were no indications of any significant prior criminal history in Tamura’s background.
A photo released by police, and widely circulated by news outlets including CNN, showed the suspect entering the building armed with a rifle. It remains unclear how Tamura chose the location or the victims.
In response to the incident, a massive law enforcement presence surrounded the area. Streets were cordoned off, and nearby buildings were locked down for hours as police secured the skyscraper and searched for any additional threats.
“I just saw a lot of commotion and cops and people screaming,” said Russ McGee, a 31-year-old sports bettor who was at a nearby gym when the shooting occurred. “It was chaos. People were running out of the building, some of them crying.”
Kyle Marshall, 38, an employee of Morgan Stanley working in a neighboring office building, described receiving a frantic message from his mother alerting him to an active shooter at 345 Park Avenue.
“Then she texted me the address, and I was, like, ‘Oh my God. That’s right next door to my building,'” Marshall told Reuters. He and his colleagues were held in lockdown until after 8 p.m. “It doesn’t make me feel less safe to be in Manhattan,” he said. “The police responded quickly.”
The FBI confirmed that agents from its New York field office responded to support the NYPD and other emergency personnel.
Authorities have launched a full investigation into the shooting, including an analysis of Tamura’s digital footprint, travel history, and any known affiliations. Officials are also reviewing surveillance footage from the building and interviewing witnesses.
Mayor Adams called the attack “a targeted act of violence that reminds us of the importance of strong public safety infrastructure in our city,” and pledged full support for the families of the victims.
“This city will never forget Officer Islam and the innocent lives lost today,” Adams said.
As New York reels from yet another act of senseless violence, city officials are urging anyone with information related to the incident to contact law enforcement immediately. Counseling services are being made available to affected employees and local residents.
Written By Rodney Mbua
