A Bangladeshi immigrant police officer, Didarul Islam, 36, at the New York Police Department (NYPD) was killed in a shooting at Midtown Manhattan on Monday. New York police and the media have refrained from calling it a terror attack.
The horrific attack took place at 345 park Avenue at the heart of Manhattan and is currently under investigation. The shooter Shane Devon Tamura, 27, from Las Vegas killed himself after the shooting.
As per reports, 5 people lost their lives including the shooter. Didarul Islam, served in the police for 3 and a half years. According to New York police, Islam left two young sons, and a pregnant wife with their third child.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, “was doing the job that we asked him to do,” adding, “He put himself in harm’s way, he made the ultimate sacrifice – shot in cold blood, wearing a uniform that stood for the promise that he made to this city. He died as he lived, a hero.”
Mayor Eric Adams hailed Islam as a hero. “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.”
A senior Managing director at Blackstone, Wesley LePatner, was also killed during the attack. 345 Park Avenue housed some elite firms like Blackstone, KPMG and Deutsche Bank. Headquarters of the National Football League (NFL) was also in the same building.
“She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond,” Blackstone said about Wesley LePatner.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that a NFL employee was also shot and was seriously injured. However, the condition of the employee is reportedly stable.
How Shane Devon Tamura executed the attack in Manhattan
The mass shooting started just before 6:30 p.m when the surveillance cameras showed Tamura leaving his black BMW near Park Avenue building.
He entered the lobby with an M4 assault-style rifle in hand. Some reports also claim that he wore a bullet proof vest. Tamura then began shooting indiscriminately at people present in the lobby. According to Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Tamura was “spraying it with gunfire,” shooting a police officer, a security guard and another man and woman.
After the lobby shooting spree, Tamura went towards the 33rd floor, offices of Rudin Management Company. He then fired on the 33rd floor killing one person before shooting himself.
New York City Governor Kathy Hochul Reacts
Meanwhile, Governor Hochul condemned the mass shooting and wants the Congress to ban assault rifles weapons noting that the gunman used AR-15-style assault rifle.
She said, “New York has some of the strongest gun laws in the nation. We banned assault weapons. We strengthened our Red Flag Law. We closed dangerous loopholes. But our laws only go so far when an AR-15 can be obtained in a state with weak gun laws and brought into New York to commit mass murder.”
She added, “The time to act is now. The American people are tired of thoughts and prayers. They deserve action,” she continued. “Congress must summon the courage to stand up to the gun lobby and finally pass a national assault weapons ban before more innocent lives are stolen.”
