A man armed with a rifle opened fire at a New York City office tower on Monday, killing four people — including an off-duty NYPD officer — and injuring another before taking his own life, officials said.
The slain officer was identified as 36-year-old Didarul Islam, a Bangladeshi immigrant who had served with the New York City Police Department for three and a half years.
“He died as he lived — a hero,” said Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch during a news conference. She noted that the officer, Didarul Islam, was married with two young sons, and his wife is currently pregnant with their third child.
The gunman was identified as Shane Tamura of Las Vegas, who fatally shot himself after the rampage. Tisch said Tamura had a documented history of mental health issues, but his motive remains unclear.
“We are working to understand why he targeted this particular location,” she added.
Mayor Eric Adams said another man was seriously wounded and remains in critical condition.
“Five innocent people were shot,” Adams said. “We’re still unraveling exactly what happened.”
Surveillance footage captured Tamura exiting a double-parked BMW with an M4 rifle, walking toward the building, and immediately opening fire — first shooting the off-duty NYPD officer at the entrance, then targeting a woman who attempted to take cover, before spraying gunfire throughout the lobby.
Tamura then proceeded to the elevator bank, where he shot a security guard hiding behind a desk and another man in the lobby. He rode the elevator to the 33rd floor, where he shot and killed a person inside a real estate management company, then turned the gun on himself, Tisch said.
Inside his vehicle, officers recovered a rifle case, a revolver, loaded magazines, and ammunition.
The FDNY said emergency crews responded to the Park Avenue office tower at around 6:30 p.m. following reports of gunfire. The building houses major financial firms and the National Football League.
Jessica Chen, who was attending a second-floor presentation with dozens of others, told ABC News she heard a series of gunshots and ran to barricade herself in a conference room.
“We were honestly really, really scared,” she said, adding that she texted her parents, saying she loved them.
Local TV footage showed people being evacuated from the building with their hands raised. The skyscraper is also home to the Irish Consulate and offices of Blackstone.
Commissioner Tisch confirmed two uniformed NYPD officers were present in different areas of the building on paid detail assignments — part of a program where private firms hire officers for added security.
Nearby, finance workers grabbing dinner heard loud noises and witnessed people running from the scene.
“It was like a crowd panic,” said Anna Smith, who took shelter inside a nearby building with others for nearly two hours.
The office tower is located in a busy part of Midtown Manhattan, near Grand Central Terminal and a block from St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
The city’s Emergency Management issued alerts about traffic delays, road closures, and transit disruptions in the area.
Despite the shooting, officials noted that through late July, New York City remains on pace to record its lowest number of murders and gun injuries in decades. (Agencies)
