Manhattan shooting: How a Bangladeshi immigrant's heroic sacrifice saved many lives

A New York City police officer hailed as a hero for his selfless actions during a deadly mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan was identified on Monday as Didarul Islam, a 36-year-old Bangladeshi immigrant who had been serving the NYPD for four years.

Islam was killed while responding to an armed gunman who opened fire inside the high-rise building at 345 Park Avenue, home to the Blackstone Group and NFL headquarters. Though he was off-duty at the time, Islam was in uniform working a private security detail when he was shot and killed by the attacker.

According to authorities, Islam’s quick response likely saved several lives as chaos unfolded inside the building Monday evening. His death, alongside three other civilian victims, has left New York’s law enforcement community in mourning and sparked an outpouring of tributes for the fallen officer.

"He was doing what he does best and all members of the police department carry out — he was saving lives,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said at a press conference.

“He was protecting New Yorkers. He’s an immigrant from Bangladesh, and he loved this city, and everyone we spoke with stated he was a person of faith and a person that believed in God and believed in living out the life of a godly person.”

Islam had joined the NYPD in December 2021 and was assigned to the 47th Precinct in the Bronx. A married father of two, his wife is eight months pregnant with their third child, officials confirmed.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Islam “died as he lived: a hero.”

“He was doing the job that we asked him to do. He put himself in harm’s way, he made the ultimate sacrifice — shot in cold blood, wearing a uniform that stood for the promise that he made to the city,” Tisch said during the press conference, according to the New York Post.

The shooter, identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura, arrived at the site armed with an M4-style rifle and opened fire inside the building’s lobby around 6:28 p.m., according to a timeline shared by Commissioner Tisch. Surveillance footage showed Tamura exiting a black BMW between 51st and 52nd Street before making his way into the building, where he shot Islam at close range.

Tamura went on to kill two other civilians in the lobby and a fourth on the 33rd floor before fatally shooting himself.

“We lost four souls to another senseless act of gun violence, including a member of the New York City Police Department, Officer Islam,” Adams said in a separate statement. “He was saving lives, he was protecting New Yorkers.”

Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association, called the incident a “devastating” loss and said Islam had dedicated himself to supporting his family.

“He was a hardworking police officer who was proud — we know from hearing from his family — to put on that uniform and shield of a New York City police officer. Every day, he went out and did his job… whether it was overtime or whatever he had to do to provide for his family," Hendry said.

Authorities said the surviving victim remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition. The motive behind the attack remains under investigation.