A gunman who opened fire inside a Midtown Manhattan office building on Monday (July 28), killing four people including an NYPD officer, reportedly left behind a chilling note.
The attack unfolded at 345 Park Avenue; home to firms including Blackstone Inc., the NFL headquarters, KPMG, and several major law firms. The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura from Las Vegas, arrived at the scene in a double-parked black BMW, armed with an M4 rifle. Surveillance footage shows him entering the building, taking an elevator to an upper floor, and shooting several people before turning the gun on himself.
Among the victims was NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, a father of two with a third child on the way. One person remains critically injured.
Authorities have not confirmed a motive but say a handwritten note was found at the scene. According to CNN, sources familiar with the investigation say the three-page letter appeared to be a suicide note, in which Tamura described a battle with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma. The suspect, reportedly a former youth football player, allegedly requested in the note that his brain be studied after death.
Law enforcement officials also confirmed Tamura had a documented history of mental illness, and sources told NBC News he had questioned whether CTE was responsible for his declining mental state.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed grief over the tragedy, saying: “Our hearts are heavy. Five innocent people were shot tonight. We lost four souls to another senseless act of gun violence, including a member of the NYPD, Officer Islam.”
He went on to honor Islam’s legacy: “He protected New Yorkers. He was an immigrant from Bangladesh, a man of faith, and someone who lived his life with purpose. He embodied what this city is all about. He’s a true-blue New Yorker.”
The NYPD also paid tribute to Officer Islam on social media, saying he “represented the very best of our department” and lost his life “protecting New Yorkers from danger.”
The investigation remains ongoing.
