Terror struck New York’s Midtown on Monday evening when a 27-year-old gunman opened fire inside a Park Avenue skyscraper, killing four people and injuring one before taking his own life
The shooter, identified as Shane Tamura of Las Vegas, drove cross-country. Eventually, he launched his deadly attack.
Armed with an assault-style rifle, Tamura stormed the building’s lobby around 6:30 p.m. ET, killing New York police officer Didarul Islam, 36, who was working security at the time.
The building, which houses the NFL’s headquarters, along with corporate giants Blackstone and KPMG, quickly descended into chaos.
Consequently, office workers blocked doors with furniture and hid in fear as the gunfire echoed through the tower.
Afterward, police said Tamura took an elevator to the 33rd floor, where he shot one more victim and then fatally shot himself in the chest.
Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident as a lone attack, and said a fifth victim remains in critical but stable condition.
Tamura, reportedly battling mental health issues, left behind a trail of destruction.
However, his motive remains unclear.
Investigators found multiple magazines and a revolver inside his Nevada-registered vehicle, parked just outside the building.
Officer Islam, a Bangladeshi-American father of two with a third child on the way, had served in the NYPD for three and a half years.
Notably, officials hailed him as a hero.
“He made the ultimate sacrifice,” Commissioner Tisch said. “He was doing the job we asked him to do.”
Eyewitnesses described the panic as people scrambled for safety.
For instance, a woman narrowly escaped death when Tamura let her exit the elevator before he continued his rampage.
Another victim was shot behind a lobby desk. Meanwhile, others dove behind pillars and desks to shield themselves from the hail of bullets.
As a result, the attack brought Midtown Manhattan to a standstill, halting public transport and drawing dozens of emergency vehicles to the scene.
A BBC journalist on-site reported a bloodied victim being stretchered away as police cordoned off the area.
Ultimately, this latest mass shooting adds to the growing concerns around gun violence in the United States and raises urgent questions about mental health and firearm accessibility across state lines.
