A New York City police officer and three other people were shot and killed inside a Midtown Manhattan office building on Monday evening by a gunman armed with a high-powered rifle, police confirmed.
The suspect, identified as Shane D. Tamura, 27, of Las Vegas, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said surveillance video shows the suspect exiting a double-parked black BMW alone on Park Avenue between 51st and 52nd streets just before 6:30 p.m., carrying an M4 rifle in his right hand. He then entered the 44-story building at 345 Park Ave., turned right and immediately began opening fire on an NYPD officer.
Not long after, multiple 911 calls were received about an active shooter inside the building, Tisch said.
NYPD Officer Didarul Islam killed in shooting Â
Didarul Islam, 36, worked out of the 47th Precinct in the Bronx. A four-year veteran of the force, Didarul was on a paid detail Monday as part of a program the NYPD has that allows officers to be employed by private companies to provide extra security, CBS News New York’s Naveen Dhaliwal reported.
Didarul leaves behind a pregnant wife and two young sons, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said at a late-night news conference.
“He was doing what he does best, and all members of the police department carry out. He was saving lives. He was protecting New Yorkers,” Adams said. “He was an immigrant from Bangladesh and he loved this city. And everyone we spoke with stated he was a person of faith and a person that believed in God and believed in living out the life of a godly person. He embodies what this city is all about. He’s a true-blue New Yorker, not only in a uniform he wore but in his spirit and energy of loving this city.”
Adams said two men and a woman were also killed in the shooting and another man is in critical condition. The mayor called the shooting “a violent, despicable attack,” adding, “No words can describe this act of evil, a man who takes the life of others who are innocent. And no words can fill the void left by this tragedy.”
Adams said he met with Islam’s family earlier in the evening and told them how much he was admired for putting his life on the line.
“This was his dad’s only son. I think about Jordan, my child, and it is unimaginable to experience a loss of this magnitude,” the mayor said.
The names of the people killed and the person injured are being withheld, pending family notification.
“Tonight we mourn four New Yorkers, including one of New York’s Finest, taken in an act of senseless violence,” Gov. Kathy Hochul wrote on social media. “Our hearts are with their loved ones and everyone affected by this tragedy, and we honor the first responders who bravely ran toward danger.” Â
What the preliminary investigation reveals
After shooting the officer, the gunman shot a woman who had taken shelter behind a pillar and then proceeded through the lobby, spraying it with gunfire, officials said.
He then made his way to the elevator bank, shooting a security guard who had taken cover behind the security desk. Another man who was wounded told police at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital he was shot in the lobby, Tisch said.
The police commssioner said at one point the gunman was waiting for an elevator to arrive, and when it did, a woman emerged, but he allowed her to walk by unharmed. The gunman then took the elevator to the 33rd floor, the site of Rudin Management, and “began walking the floor, firing rounds as he traveled.” Tisch said one of the victims was shot and killed on that floor.
“He then proceeds down the hallway and shoots himself in the chest,” Tisch said.
What police know about gunman Shane Tamura
Tisch said the vehicle Tamura exited on Park Avenue was registered to him. Inside, officers found a rifle case with rounds, a loaded revolver, ammunition and magazines, a backpack and medication prescribed to Tamura. No explosives were found.
The commissioner said preliminary findings show Tamura drove the vehicle across the country to get to New York City, traveling through Colorado on Saturday, Nebraska and Iowa on Sunday, and passing through Columbia, New Jersey, at 4:24 p.m. on Monday.
According to law enforcement in Las Vegas, Tamura had a documented mental health history, Tisch said.
His motive remains under investigation. Tisch said investigators are working to figure out why he targeted 345 Park Ave. specifically.
The building contains offices for Blackstone, the NFL, KPMG and others. After reports of the shooting, the building was placed on lockdown and the area was blocked off, police said.
The NYPD and Mayor Adams asked the public to avoid the vicinity of East 52nd Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue. Tisch said officers from the NYPD’s Special Operations Division were conducting a secondary sweep of the building.
“I want to be very clear: We believe this to be a lone shooter and there is no longer an active threat to the public,” Tisch said. Â
“Pure evil came to the heart of our city.”
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry spoke about the shooting and reflected on Islam’s dedication to the NYPD and the city.
“This is a devastating night for our city, for our police department,” Hendry said. “Pure evil came to the heart of our city and struck innocent people and one of our police officers who was protecting those people. We lost four people tonight, and our hero brother, who gave his life for this city. He was a hard-working police officer who was proud, we know from hearing from his family, to put on that shield and the uniform of a New York City police officer. Every day he went out and did his job.”
Hendry said the loss of Islam will serve as a great motivator going forward as the investigation continues.
“The hearts of every New York City police officer right now [are] hurting,” Hendry said. “We’re hurting for our brother police officer who we lost. We’re hurting for that family. We’re hurting for all the victims, and hurting for all the families of the victims. And we’re all asking why? Why did pure evil come here? And we know our police department and our law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to get those answers.”
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