• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Midtown Manhattan shooting:A gunman armed with an assault-style rifle opened fire inside a high-rise office tower in Midtown Manhattan on Monday evening, killing four people, including an off-duty New York City police officer, before taking his own life, officials confirmed. The shooting took place at 345 Park Avenue, where prominent companies like Blackstone, KPMG, and the NFL headquarters are located, in the midst of peak evening rush hour. The attack sent shockwaves across the center of Manhattan's financial district, prompting widespread evacuations, panic, and a heavy police presence.

The killed officer, Didarul Islam, 36, a Bangladeshi-American and father of two with another child on the way, was employed on a security detail under an NYPD commercial engagement initiative. He had been with the department for more than three years. "Officer Islam was a man of faith and service. He died a hero safeguarding innocent lives," Mayor Eric Adams stated in a late-night press briefing. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced the gunman was identified as Shane Tamura, 27, from Las Vegas, with a prior known history of mental illness. He apparently drove from Las Vegas to New York before he attacked. The reason for the shooting is still unclear, but officials have confirmed Tamura was alone. The gunman entered the building at about 6:40 p.m. (local time). There was a shootout with Officer Islam in the lobby, after which he proceeded to the 33rd floor via elevator, and the carnage unfolded from there.

Office Workers Barricaded Doors Amid Active Shooter

As chaos unfolded in the towering office building at 345 Park Avenue, terrified employees scrambled to protect themselves from the gunman by barricading office doors with whatever furniture they could find. Photos that have since gone viral on social media, shared by individuals claiming to be inside the Blackstone office, show employees in formal business attire stacking couches, chairs, desks, and filing cabinets against glass doors and entryways. In some images, the barricades reached almost to the ceiling, forming makeshift fortresses inside executive suites and open workspaces.

One particularly shocking image shows a row of leather sofas and heavy conference chairs piled on top of each other in front of a large glass wall, behind which dozens of workers crouched or lay flat on the floor. The blinds were drawn hastily. Lights were switched off to remain undetected by the gunman, who was reported to be moving floor to floor after firing in the lobby. "Everyone was confused with like, 'wait, what's going on?' And then someone finally realised that it's online, that someone walked in with a machine gun," said the witness who wore a grey suit jacket. "He walked right into a building next door. We saw the photo of him walking through the same area that I walked through to get lunch here. You would think it won't happen to you, and then it does," he added. Another witness, a woman who declined to give her name as she left the vicinity of the shooting, told AFP, "I was in the building. He went floor by floor," while a second woman wept as she left the scene.

ALSO READ: Who Is Shane Tamura? Gunman Who Killed Five In Deadly Manhattan Mass Shooting Spree Identified 

Those in surrounding buildings described hearing the sound of loud bangs and panic on the streets. Local television footage captured workers being led out with their hands up. They were crying and hugging each other on the sidewalks as sirens wailed. The Fire Department of New York (FDNY) responded swiftly, with emergency services receiving the first distress call around 6:30 p.m.

Park Avenue Shut Down, Midtown Traffic Gridlocked

After the shooting, police blocked off parts of Park Avenue outside Grand Central Terminal and St. Patrick's Cathedral, resulting in huge traffic jams and public transportation delays. The City's Emergency Management released warnings urging citizens to stay away. The building also houses the Consulate General of Ireland, further raising security concerns. Authorities have been investigating floor by floor, watching video, and interviewing witnesses.

ALSO READ: US Mass Shooting: Five Killed After Gunman Opens Fire With Semi-Automatic Rifle In Manhattan Skyscraper

The gunman's past suggests mental health issues, but no clear motive has been determined. "Pure evil visited our city today," declared Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association. "We lost a brother in blue and three innocent New Yorkers." Zohran Mamdani, a mayoral candidate, posted on X, formerly Twitter, “Heartbroken to learn of the horrific shooting in Midtown. Holding the victims, their families, and our brave NYPD officer in my thoughts.”