By Isiah Christie
On Wednesday, June 28th, in Midtown Manhattan, a shooting occurred in a skyscraper where an armed gunman – with an AR-15 rifle – opened fire to fatal results. He killed multiple people with rounds, including a police officer and three others, with another major wound on a fifth individual. This all occurred before the gunman killed himself in extreme fashion as well, according to official reports.
It occurred around the St. Patrick’s Cathedral, not far from Rockefeller Center. It was classified as a workplace mass shooting, occurring in a building owned by Rudin Management. Considering the low frequency of violence in this part of Manhattan, the situation came as a surprise to many. Many fled the building in fear, racing onto the streets as some other workers remained trapped in the building out of caution.
The police officer killed was identified as Didarul Islam, a 36-year-old man that was working the building. He was the first person shot, followed by two bystanders and a security guard. One woman was left unharmed by the gunman’s choice – after that, he went higher into the building to commit another murder. The gunman was identified as Shane Devon Tamura, a 27-year-old from Las Vegas. Despite his capture and neutralization, there is not any information on his motives or if he had prior ties to New York. However, it is known that he had a history of mental health issues and associated paraphernalia, such as ammunition and a revolver, was found in the vehicle he left behind. He also left behind a note referencing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a neurodegenerative disease often linked with contact sports – and considering the office he targeted was home to National Football League (NFL) workers, there is a good chance that is the main correlation.
“The response to shooters of this magnitude, mass shooters, cannot be vigils. It must be legislation,” Eric Adams, Mayor of New York City said in response to the tragedy. He sees this as another reason backing the change in gun legislation and availability, which may have created far too much ease in this occurrence.
“It never, never gets easier. Our hearts break for the families and friends of the victims. We pray for the swift and safe recovery of the injured,” Adams said.
