Four people were killed in Manhattan on Monday, July 29, after a 27-year-old Las Vegas man entered a Park Avenue office building and opened fire. On Tuesday, American flags flown outside 345 Park Ave. could be seen flying at half-staff in honor of the victims.
New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a press conference Monday night that Shane Tamura, of Las Vegas, exited a black BMW and entered 345 Park Avenue near 51st Street around 6:35 p.m. Monday, carrying an M4 rifle.
NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, 36 was in the lobby of the building, which houses major companies such as Blackstone, KPMG, Deutsche Bank and the National Football League (NFL). Tamura shot Islam and another woman who was hiding, then proceeded to shoot through the lobby and hit a security guard and another man.
Tamura then walked to the elevator, where Tisch said he allowed a woman to walk away without injury. He took the 33rd floor to Rudin Management and shot a woman before shooting himself in the chest.
The area around Lexington Avenue, Park Avenue and East 52nd Street was closed for several hours following the shooting as police and FBI investigated the incident.
By 7:52 p.m., Tisch announced that Tamura worked alone and the threat was no longer active.
Who were the victims in the 345 Park Ave. shooting?
In total, five people were dead following the shooting, including the gunman.
One person remained in critical condition as of Monday night and other people were also treated for minor injuries they sustained while trying to flee, according to Tisch.
NYPD Officer Didarul Islam
Officer Islam was identified as an immigrant from Bangladesh who had worked for NYPD for three-and-a-half years. He leaves behind two boys, his wife and another child on the way, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
“Police Officer Didarul Islam represented the very best of our department,” NYPD posted on social media Monday night. “He was protecting New Yorkers from danger when his life was tragically cut short today. We join in prayer during this time of incomprehensible pain. We will forever honor his legacy.”
Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner
Another victim identified in the shooting was Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, according to the New York Times.
“Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed,” Blackstone said in a statement. “She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond. She embodied the best of Blackstone. Our prayers are with her husband, children and family.”
NFL employee seriously injured in shooting
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said one NFL employee was seriously injured in the shooting, according to USA Today.
The employee, who has not yet been identified, was reported to be in stable condition at a New York City hospital Monday morning.
“We believe that all of our employees are otherwise safe and accounted for, and the building has nearly been cleared,” Goodell wrote in the memo, obtained by USA TODAY Sports. “NFL staff are at the hospital and we are supporting the family.”
NFL employees based in New York were told to work remotely Tuesday morning and will be provided grief counseling in the coming days, Goodell said.
Shane Tamura had history of mental illness
As of 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Tamura’s exact motives for carrying out the shooting were still under investigation.
Tisch said Tamura, who had a “documented mental health history,” drove across the country before entering New York City the day of the shooting. He was also in Columbia, New Jersey, prior to entering New York City.
Adams said officers found a suicide note in Tamura’s pocket, revealing that the gunman may have blamed the NFL for his mental illness. The NFL headquarters is located on floors five through eight of 345 Park Ave.
Tamura believed he was developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy, also known as CTE. According to Mayo Clinic, CTE is a brain disease caused by repeated traumatic injury to the head.
“He did have a note on him. The note alluded to that he felt he had CTE, a known brain injury for those who participate in contact sports,” Adams said. “He appeared to have blamed the NFL for his injury.”
The disease can impact football players and other athletes who experience forcible head contact, such as boxers. Tamura was known to be a former football player in his youth, according to CNN.
“[CTE] causes the death of nerve cells in the brain, known as degeneration,” Mayo Clinic said. “CTE gets worse over time. The only way to definitively diagnosis CTE is after death during an autopsy of the brain.”
Adams said officers believe Tamura may have taken the wrong elevator to the 33rd floor and was intending to target the NFL headquarters.
Contributing: USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: NYC mass shooting: What we know now about victims, shooter
Reporting by Alexandra Rivera, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
