In a tragic incident Monday evening, the serene atmosphere of the busy Midtown Manhattan area around 345 Park Avenue deteriorated swiftly as gunfire erupted, leaving offices in a state of panic. Around 18:30 EST, Shane Tamura, a 27-year-old from Las Vegas, parked his car close to one of New York's landmarks and began a targeting mission filled with sudden violence against those in the building.
Witnesses reported the horror from inside the skyscraper as alarms blared and gunfire pierced the air. Jessica Chen, a worker on the second floor, recounted the moment: "People were texting their families, saying goodbye." The shooting left four victims dead, including New York police officer Didarul Islam, slain in far too short a time as he attempted to confront the assailant.
As Tamura moved through the lobby, he fired indiscriminately, striking both employees and innocent bystanders. Despite the first wave of chaos, a single security guard attempted to act by triggering alarm systems but was fatally shot as he sought refuge, exemplifying the swift violence of the encounter.
Reports indicate that Tamura had intended to reach the NFL offices located in the building, yet he mistakenly boarded the wrong elevator. In the pandemonium, employees utilized digital communication to warn colleagues of the shooter, resulting in frantic evacuations. Meanwhile, outside, bystanders heard the rapid shots, with one injured man running from the building, bleeding and asking for assistance.
As law enforcement converged on the scene, Tamura roamed the floors, firing rounds until he fatally turned the gun on himself, ending the incident after a few harrowing minutes.
Authorities later discovered a note revealing that Tamura had been suffering from CTE, a condition traditionally associated with head injuries, which purportedly led him to blame the NFL for his plight. Investigations into his motives and movements prior to the shooting are ongoing, with substantial evidence of his mental health struggles surfacing throughout the investigation.