A man wearing body armor and carrying a high-powered rifle shot and killed four people, including an off-duty police officer working security in a Midtown Manhattan office building. The incident occurred just before 6:30 p.m. on Monday in the building located at 345 Park Ave. and 52nd Street, which contains the headquarters for the investment company Blackstone and the National Football League. It is unclear if those companies or any company in the building were tied to the shooting.
The motive is currently under investigation, and surveillance footage captured the suspect outside the building. Some employees inside 345 Park Ave. were advised that the threat “has been resolved,” but were asked to leave the building with a police escort. A witness inside the Midtown office building at the time of the shooting detailed what it was like at the scene as colleagues hid in lockdown, unsure of what was unfolding.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams warned residents to avoid the area amid the “active shooter investigation.” The New York City Police Department also urged people to avoid the vicinity of East 52nd Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue due to police activity. The NYPD has warned residents to expect emergency vehicles and delays in the surrounding area.
FBI New York Field Office management personnel and agents responded “to provide support at the active crime scene in Manhattan.” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has been briefed on the situation. KPMG, an accounting firm that also has offices in the building, released a statement after the shooting, saying, “Our hearts go out to the victims of this horrific act and their families.”
