Photo: JOSEPH PREZIOSO / AFP / Getty Images
New York Governor Kathy Hochul is calling on Congress to pass an assault weapons ban following a mass shooting on Monday (July 28) in Midtown Manhattan. The shooter, Shane Devon Tamura, drove from Las Vegas to New York with an assault rifle and killed four people inside a Park Avenue office building before taking his own life. Despite New York's strict gun laws, the shooter was able to obtain the weapon legally in Nevada, where gun laws are more lenient.
The victims included NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, security officer Aland Etienne, and Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner. Mayor Eric Adams noted that Tamura may have intended to target the NFL headquarters but took the wrong elevator. A note found on Tamura expressed grievances with the NFL and claimed he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain condition linked to repeated head trauma.
Governor Hochul emphasized the need for a nationwide assault weapons ban, stating, "Our laws only go so far when an AR-15 can be obtained in a state with weak gun laws and brought into New York to commit mass murder." Flags on state government buildings will be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims until they are laid to rest.
The NYPD is investigating the incident and has sent teams to Las Vegas to gather more information about Tamura and the firearms used in the attack. The shooting marks the deadliest gun attack in New York City in 25 years.