Shootings and panic in broad daylight in Manhattan, in the heart of New York, in a skyscraper that houses several financial companies, including Blackstone, the largest hedge fund in the world.
Four people died, including an officer who was fatally shot in the back and died shortly after arriving at the hospital. US media reported that the perpetrator of the attack was 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura, from Las Vegas, who was also killed. His motive is currently unknown, writes A2 CNN.
It all started around 6:00 p.m. local time inside the building at 345 Park Avenue, between 51st and 52nd streets, a nearly 2,100-foot skyscraper that serves as a business center that is home to, among others, the National Football League, financial consulting and accounting firm KPMG and real estate firm Rudin Management, Deutsche Bank. The area is a popular tourist destination.
As CNN footage shows, a man wearing sunglasses, sneakers, black pants, a blue jacket and a light blue shirt walks calmly towards the entrance. According to the NYP, he was also wearing a bulletproof vest. In his right hand, he holds a long assault rifle perpendicular to his legs, resembling an AR-15 or AK-47, one of the most used in mass shootings in America. He manages to take the elevator to the 32nd and 33rd floors, killing at least four people. Rudin's offices are also on the 33rd floor, where he was found dead. Perhaps he had a specific target, who wanted revenge, but at the moment it is only speculation, reports A2 CNN.
After the first shots were fired, the building and neighboring buildings were placed under lockdown, with the remaining people trapped inside.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a warning on X, urging New Yorkers to take necessary safety precautions in the vicinity and not leave if they were near Park Avenue and East 51st Street.
Within minutes, police surrounded the skyscraper, also using a helicopter and several drones. But shortly after, Police Chief Jessica Tisch announced on social media that "the scene has been secured and the lone shooter has been neutralized." He apparently died of a self-inflicted wound.
The lockdown remained in place for a longer period, as people began to emerge in small groups with their hands up. A Blackstone employee who works on the 31st floor, one floor below where the shooting occurred, said employees heard a loud explosion and a boom from above. They paid no attention until they received an email informing them of a shooter in the building. Police also reportedly found the car linked to the shooter, but it is not clear whether it was used to travel from Las Vegas to New York City.
However, it is impossible to carry a long gun on a plane and difficult to conceal one on a bus or train. (A2 Televizion)
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