A gunman with a history of mental health issues killed four people, including a police officer, during a shooting spree in a central Manhattan skyscraper on Monday evening before apparently taking his own life, authorities have confirmed.
A fifth victim remains in critical condition following the attack, Mayor Eric Adams announced during a late-night press briefing at a nearby hospital.
Attack unfolds in business district
The gunman, identified as Shane Tamura from Las Vegas, was captured on surveillance footage exiting a black BMW whilst carrying an M-4 rifle, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch revealed during the news conference.
Upon entering the building at 345 Park Avenue, Tamura immediately opened fire on a police officer before “spraying the lobby” with bullets, Commissioner Tisch stated. The gunman subsequently took a lift to the 33rd floor of the Rudin Management-owned building and continued his rampage before apparently shooting himself. Officers later discovered his body beside his weapon.
The office tower, which houses the National Football League headquarters, hedge fund giant Blackstone, and auditing firm KPMG, appears to have been deliberately targeted by the lone gunman, according to police.
A revolver, ammunition, and magazines were found in Tamura’s vehicle, Commissioner Tisch confirmed. The shooter had a documented history of mental health problems, she added.
The incident commenced at approximately 18:00 local time when reports of gunfire prompted hundreds of police officers to descend upon the busy Park Avenue business district, an area frequented by tourists and business professionals.
Victims and casualties
“We have lost four souls to another act of senseless violence,” Mayor Adams declared, excluding the perpetrator from his count. The fallen police officer was identified as a 36-year-old immigrant from Bangladesh.
Two additional males and one female were killed in the attack, whilst another man remains in critical condition. Officials have not yet disclosed a preliminary motive for the shootings.
An NFL employee was reported as stable after sustaining serious injuries during the attack, according to ESPN, citing an internal memorandum from League Commissioner Roger Goodell.
CNN and NBC, citing unnamed officials, reported that the shooter harboured grievances against the NFL regarding its handling of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a brain condition associated with head trauma.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, Tamura carried a note claiming he suffered from CTE.
Eyewitness accounts
Office worker Shad Sakib recounted to AFP that he was preparing to leave work when a public address announcement instructed employees to shelter in place.
“Everyone was confused, asking ‘What’s happening?’ Then someone realised it was serious—that someone had entered with a machine gun,” the witness explained.
“He walked straight into the building next door. We saw photographs of him walking through the same area where I go for lunch. You never think it will happen to you, and then it does.”
Another witness, who declined to provide her name, told AFP: “I was in the building. He went floor by floor.”
Officers deployed a drone near Park Avenue during the height of the evening rush hour as dozens of police swarmed the area, some carrying long weapons whilst others wore ballistic vests.
Police repeatedly moved back journalists and members of the public who had gathered in the normally tranquil but busy Midtown Manhattan district.
The area is home to numerous five-star business hotels, corporate headquarters, and financial and legal firms. The United Nations headquarters is situated nearby.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed she had been briefed on the shooting.
Zohran Mamdani, the frontrunner in the forthcoming New York mayoral race, wrote on social media: “I am heartbroken to learn of the horrific shooting in Midtown and am holding the victims, their families, and the NYPD officer in my thoughts.”
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