New york What happened inside the Blackstone building?
On Sunday, July 28th, 2025, there was a high-profile mass shooting incident at a Midtown Manhattan skyscraper. Located at 345 Park Avenue, the building is home to some of America’s most important institutions, including Blackstone, KPMG, and NFL headquarters.
The police say that the gunman, armed with a military-style rifle, began shooting inside the building just before 10 a.m. From there, witnesses state chaos ensued as workers either fled or locked themselves into offices. Four people were killed by the suspect, including a police officer, who then shot himself.
The shooting stands out as another appalling instance in the growing string of gun violence in the United States.
Mass shooting at 345 Park Avenue, home to Blackstone, KPMG, and NFL HQ, shocks Midtown Manhattan
Who was the shooter, and why did he open fire?
The shooter was identified as 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura of Las Vegas, Nevada. He was a lawful gun owner of the firearm employed in the attack, a semi-automatic rifle of the AR style. According to law enforcement, Tamura was without any criminal record, though he did have a history of mental health issues.
According to authorities, Tamura had travelled across the country in the days leading up to the shooting. He arrived in New York on a late hours of Saturday night. The reason for the acts committed is still unknown. However, the police have reason to believe that the shooter had no ties to any of the building’s tenants.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny stated that Tamura entered the building “heavily armed” and began firing without warning.
Shooter Shane Devon Tamura, 27, from Las Vegas, used a legally owned AR-style semi-automatic rifle.
How did the victims and staff react?
Throughout the shooting, several employees barricaded themselves inside various offices. Others tried to flee through the stairwells or hid under desks. A staffer on the 16th floor, requesting to remain anonymous, described “repetitive bursts of gunfire” and then screams.
“I thought I was going to die,” she recounted. “I texted my parents, ‘I love you.'”
Emergency responders were here within minutes. Streets about the block were shut down. Police then started to clear each floor methodically. By the time the police made it to Tamura, he was already dead from a self-inflicted wound.
Officer among victims in New York shooting
One of the victims was Didarul Islam, 36, who was working as an NYPD detective in the Midtown South precinct. He was responding to an active shooter call when he was fatally struck. He had been with the department for over three years.
Detective Islam leaves behind a wife and two children. His wife is also pregnant with their third child. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch called his death “a tragic loss to the city and his family.”
The three other victims were civilians, two men and one woman, all employees of firms housed in the building. Their names have not been released publicly.
Another person remains hospitalised in critical condition.
Detective Didarul Islam, 36, was fatally shot while responding to the Midtown Manhattan shooting incident.
Security lockdown and law enforcement response
The incident was described by New York City Mayor Eric Adams as a cowardly act of terror. Adams lauded the first responders and police for their quick action. “Today, lives were saved because of their courage,” Adams stated at a press conference.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been brought in to assist. A forensic team is working on Tamura’s digital history, travel records, and firearm purchases.
Security measures have been heightened at other prominent office towers around Manhattan as a result of this incident. Both Blackstone and the NFL shut down operations at 345 Park Avenue shortly after.
KPMG released a statement expressing condolences: “We are devastated by the loss of life and are supporting employees during this time.”
Shane Tamura’s motive remains a mystery
An unnamed motive regarding the choices of incidents is unknown to police, but sources claim that Tamura may have suffered from a delusion. A journal recovered from his car indicates that he thought he was being “controlled by corporate frequencies.”
No information has been recovered that would tie him to any extremist group or terrorist organisation; the NYPD confirmed that Tamura acted alone.
Psychiatrists and behavioural analysts have been enlisted to examine his writings and digital footprints. His family in Las Vegas is offering their complete cooperation with the investigation.
The weapon in question, a Smith & Wesson M&P15, had been bought legally in Nevada about six months before the shooting. Tamura also had several high-capacity magazines and more than 400 rounds of ammunition.
Why this New York shooting matters
Current shootings have continued the debates surrounding gun control and mental health policy throughout the U.S. According to Gun Violence Archive, this has been the 254th mass shooting since the beginning of 2025.
Violence of this nature occurring in a fully staffed commercial building speaks for itself with regard to general workplace security.
The investment firm Blackstone, with global operations, has long kept an office in that tower. The National Football League, whose operations were unaffected but deeply shaken, was the other occupant.
Both companies are engaged in a process with security consultants for the internal review of safety procedures.
Also Read: Tragic Ambush in Idaho: Two Firefighters Killed, Suspected Gunman Dead After Coeur d’Alene Shooting
Final thoughts: Another scar on America’s biggest city
This NYC shooting adds to the already massive list of tragic incidents happening in important American cities. New York, whose name always stood for resilience and strength through community, must now mourn yet another tragic loss.
The tales of the victims, especially of Detective Islam, truly touched many in the country. By morning, flowers and candles had been placed outside the precinct by commuters and coworkers.
The shooting has sparked calls for enhanced gun control and an increase in funding for mental health. As the investigation continues to roll on, an aching question poured forth: how many more lives must be lost before something is done?
