A shooting erupted in broad daylight in Manhattan, in the heart of New York City, at a skyscraper housing several financial firms, including Blackstone, the world's largest hedge fund. Four people were killed, including an officer wounded in the back who died shortly after arriving at the hospital. The attacker, identified for now as a 27-year-old white man living in Las Vegas with no significant criminal record, was also killed. His motive is currently unknown.
It all started around 6:00 PM local time (midnight in Italy) inside the building at 345 Park Avenue, between 51st and 52nd Streets: a 650-foot-tall skyscraper that serves as a business center, home to, among other things, the National Football League, the accounting and financial consulting firm KPMG, and the real estate firm Rudin Management, Deutsche Bank. The area is a popular tourist destination.
As CNN footage shows, a man wearing dark glasses, sneakers, black pants, a blue jacket, and a light blue shirt walks calmly toward the entrance. According to the NYP, he was also wearing a bulletproof vest. In his right hand, he wields a long assault weapon perpendicular to his legs, resembling an AR-15 or AK-47, one of the weapons most commonly used in American mass shootings. The man manages to take the elevator to the 32nd and 33rd floors, killing at least four people. The Rudin offices are also located on the 33rd floor, where he was found dead. Perhaps he had a specific target, seeking revenge, but for now, this is just speculation. After the first shots were fired, the building and neighboring buildings were placed under lockdown, with those remaining barricading themselves in.
Big Apple Mayor Eric Adams issued a warning about X, urging New Yorkers to take necessary safety precautions in the vicinity and not to leave if they were near Park Avenue and East 51st Street. Within minutes, police surrounded the skyscraper, also using a helicopter and drones. But shortly after, Police Chief Jessica Tisch announced on social media that "the scene has been contained and the lone shooter has been neutralized." He appears to have died of a self-inflicted wound. Police have also reportedly located the car associated with the attacker, but it is unclear whether it was used to travel from Las Vegas to New York City.
