On Monday, a shooting at 345 Park Avenue in Manhattan sent shockwaves through the area as employees heard gunfire while leaving the bustling building.
“When we heard several quick shots from the first floor, many of us just ran into our rooms,” Jessica Chen, who was on the second floor of the 44-story building, recounted. She mentioned that there were about 150 people in a presentation at the time.
Some fled through the back door into the street, while others, including Chen, sought refuge in a meeting room. They eventually barricaded the door with furniture.
Chen shared, “I texted my parents to tell them I love them. I can’t really explain how I feel right now.”
Meanwhile, employees on the 32nd floor attempted to secure their area with office furniture. Nearby, patrons of a restaurant heard the shots and witnessed chaos unfold.
“We heard the shots and looked up, and I saw the first-floor wall shattered,” said one diner, who realized what was happening. Moments later, a man came running out of the building, bloodied and asking for help.
“When he reached us, he shouted, ‘Help, I’ve been shot!'” another witness reported. The injured man appeared to have been shot in the torso, and bystanders assisted him until authorities arrived.
“It truly felt like a war zone,” said a witness named Lewis, reflecting on the sounds of rapid gunfire and the shattered glass.
Others outside heard the commotion. “I was a block away, and after the shots, I could hear police showing up,” Olexandre Spack recalled, noting the chaos in the area.
One man called a loved one, breathless, delivering a chilling account of the shooting from outside the office next door.
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“I was at work when this guy came in with an assault rifle and started shooting,” the man said during a phone call, describing his panic as he was treated for injuries.
27-year-old shooter Shane Tamura was seen entering the lobby with an assault weapon, causing chaos. He moved to the 33rd floor before ultimately taking his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot.
- Shooting reports began around 6:28 PM.
- Tamura was seen exiting a black BMW, armed with an M4 rifle.
- Once inside, he shot a police officer and proceeded to fire at others in the lobby.
- Various individuals were injured, and one remained in critical but stable condition.
- Tamura allowed one woman to exit unharmed before continuing his attack.
- He directed his violent outburst towards a specific floor, where one person was killed.
- The rampage ended when he fatally shot himself.
At least four people lost their lives, including an officer, with several others injured.
Nearby office buildings were placed under active shooter alerts while employees were urged to stay inside. “People rushed back in, panicked and yelling about an active shooter,” said midtown worker Kathleen Benanti, who told her colleagues to avoid the windows.
“It gave me a bit of PTSD, honestly,” she added, reflecting on her memories of September 11. “I’m okay now, but it was overwhelming.”
Another witness, Anna Smith, was getting dinner with coworkers when she heard gunfire and saw people fleeing. “It was sheer panic,” she described.
