New York is once again the scene of a mortal shooting. At least four people, including a policeman and the alleged aggressor, have died in a new armed attack perpetrated in a skyscraper of Midtown Manhattan, in the middle of the financial district. The shooting took place around six in the afternoon, local time (midnight in Spain), in a building located in Park Avenue, where the headquarters of the National Football League are located (the NFL), The investment bank Blackstone and the consultant KPMG. Six other people have been injured, according to police sources cited by the American press.
The attacker, a 27-year-old man from Las Vegas, broke into the skyscraper with an AR-15 assault rifle and equipped with a bulletproof vest. According to the first investigations, the author of the shooting opened fire inside the building and got to entrust into one of the upper floors before committing suicide. The New York Police Commissioner, Jessica Tisch, has confirmed that the author acted alone and that “the situation is already under control.” He also pointed out that the attacker had a medical history related to mental health problems, although the authorities have not yet determined the mobile.
Among the victims is an agent of the New York Police Department who was out of service and at that time worked as a private security guard in the building. The other two deceased people have not officially identified, although several US media point out that it would be civilians. “Five innocent people have received shots tonight. We have lost three lives in another act of absurd armed violence,” said Mayor Eric Adams at a press conference after the attack.
The authorities have not yet disseminated the identity of the aggressor, although some media such as CNN and NBC News assure that it has been identified preliminary thanks to the security cameras, in which it is seen entering armed into the skyscraper. According to these same means, he did not have a relevant criminal record.
Several witnesses have reported the agency Reuters Chaos scenes around the skyscraper. “I saw a lot of uproar, running agents and people shouting,” said Russ McGee, a personal coach who was in a nearby gym. Police keep the area cordoned off and have asked the population to avoid it while forensic work and investigation continue.
The FBI has sent agents since its office in New York to support investigations. For now, the police have not found any link between the attacker and the companies installed in the building, nor has it determined whether he chose the place deliberately.
