A New York Police Department officer was among four people killed in a mass shooting that rocked a Manhattan office building late Monday night. The gunman, who later took his own life, reportedly harbored resentment toward the NFL and misidentified his target floor during the attack. One employee of the NFL was injured and remains hospitalized in stable condition.
The officer killed has been identified as 36-year-old Didarul Islam, an immigrant from Bangladesh, a father of two with a pregnant wife. Islam had served with the NYPD for over three years and was credited with saving lives during the attack. “He was doing what he does best,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “He was saving lives, he was protecting New Yorkers. He loved this city.”
The gunman, a 27-year-old man from Las Vegas, traveled across the country before launching the attack. According to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the shooter entered 345 Park Avenue armed with a rifle and began his assault by targeting Officer Islam. He then shot a woman in the lobby and a building security guard before moving to the elevators and heading to the 33rd floor.
There, the shooter fatally wounded one more individual before turning the weapon on himself. Law enforcement found a note left by the attacker referencing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease tied to repeated head trauma. He cited grievances related to the NFL, believing the league played a role in his mental health decline. Mayor Adams said the shooter had intended to attack the NFL offices but went to the wrong floor, which housed Rudin Management.
Among the deceased was Wesley LePatner, CEO of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust. Blackstone confirmed her death and honored her legacy in a statement describing her as “brilliant, passionate, warm, and generous.” She leaves behind a husband and children.
An NFL employee was seriously injured during the rampage. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed the injury and said the league was supporting the victim’s family. “We believe that all of our employees are otherwise safe and accounted for, and the building has nearly been cleared,” he stated.
The attacker’s cross-country drive and deliberate targeting of the NFL reflect a growing concern among authorities about ideologically driven violence, particularly when tied to mental health or perceived injustices. The case has intensified conversations around building security, early warning systems, and the real toll of traumatic brain injury in athletes.
Communities across New York are now mourning an officer who served with quiet dedication and paid the ultimate price while protecting others. The victims, their families, and the city at large are left to face the aftermath of a calculated act that slipped past every checkpoint meant to prevent it.
