A gunman caused real terror in a skyscraper in downtown New York, killing four people, including a police officer. Then, the attacker most likely committed suicide, summarized the mayor of the metropolis, Eric Adam, world agencies reported. He described the incident as a new act of insane violence, BTA reported.
Three men, including a police officer, and a woman are in critical condition. The attacker's motives are not yet clear.
Rescue teams were called at 6 p.m. local time yesterday in the business district of "Midtown Manhattan". Security cameras filmed a man getting out of a black car, armed with an M4 assault rifle. He entered the skyscraper and immediately shot a police officer there, then rained bullets down the building's lobby.
The attacker apparently planned his attack on the skyscraper at 345 Park Avenue, which houses many offices, including those of the Professional Football League and the financial giant Blackstone, as well as the consulting and auditing company KPMG.
Police believe the attacker is likely from Las Vegas and has a history of psychiatric problems. It is believed that he acted alone.
A number of media outlets, including CNN and the “New York Post“ published a photo of a mustachioed man walking alone down a street with a long firearm in his right hand and wearing sunglasses and a dark jacket. "I was in the building, he was moving from floor to floor", a witness said of the shooter.
According to American media, the attacker shot himself on the 33rd floor of the building.
Hundreds of police officers and many ambulances arrived at the scene after the attack was reported. After the attack, police helicopters began flying over the neighborhood, also known for its luxury hotels and the fact that it is home to the headquarters of large companies. The area is a few blocks from Central Park.
Left-wing candidate for mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, said he was shocked and saddened by the news of the attack.
In 2024, more than 16,000 people were killed with firearms in the United States, according to the non-governmental organization „Archives on Gun Attacks“. This figure does not include suicides.
Last December, Brian Thompson, the head of the country's largest health insurance company, United Healthcare, was shot dead in the middle of the street in the same Midtown Manhattan neighborhood. Luigi Maggione, a young computer engineer, was arrested for the murder and pleaded not guilty in April in federal court in Manhattan.