Five people, including a New York police officer, were killed and several others injured after a gunman opened fire inside a midtown Manhattan office tower on Monday evening.
The 27-year-old suspect, identified by law enforcement as Shane Tamura, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene.
According to the New York Police Department, Tamura entered the 44-storey building at 345 Park Avenue, which houses major companies such as Blackstone, KPMG and Deutsche Bank, along with the National Football League headquarters, at around 6:30 p.m. local time during the evening rush.
He was armed with a rifle when he began shooting inside the skyscraper.
Surveillance footage from outside the building showed Tamura walking towards the entrance wearing sunglasses and carrying the weapon.
“At this time, the scene has been contained, and the lone shooter has been neutralised,” New York Police Commissioner Jessica Disch confirmed on X.
The office tower, which also houses the Consulate General of Ireland, is owned by Rudin Management, one of New York’s oldest and largest real estate firms.
Images and videos shared on social media showed terrified workers barricading office doors with sofas and chairs to protect themselves as gunshots echoed through the building. Another clip showed lines of people being evacuated from the premises with their hands raised above their heads.
The New York Fire Department said it received the first alert about the active shooter incident around 6:30 p.m., prompting emergency teams to rush to the building on Park Avenue.
Authorities urged the public to avoid the area of East 52nd Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue while officers secured the site.
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for New York mayor, expressed condolences for the victims and their families.
“I am heartbroken to learn of the horrific shooting in midtown, and I am holding the victims, their families, and the NYPD officer in critical condition in my thoughts,” Mamdani wrote on X.
Who Was Shane Tamura?
Police identified the gunman as Shane Tamura, 27. Officials said he did not have any significant criminal history.
Tamura was born in Hawaii and later moved to Las Vegas, where he held an expired private investigator’s licence registered in Nevada, according to law enforcement sources cited by the media. He also played competitive football during his youth.
The investigation into the motive behind the shooting remains ongoing.
Follow us
