The gunman who rampaged through a Manhattan office building on Monday made a decision during his horrific shooting rampage that could be a key clue to investigators, according to CNN host Abby Phillip.
The 27-year-old suspect, identified as Shane Tamura, killed four people—including NYPD Officer Didarul Islam—and wounded a fifth person before taking his own life.
As part of a press conference on Monday night, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch detailed the suspect’s actions as he entered the building at 345 Park Avenue carrying an M4 assault rifle.
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Tisch said Tamura double-parked a black BMW on Park Avenue before walking toward the building. Once he entered the lobby, security footage showed the suspect turn right and immediately shoot down an NYPD officer.
He walked through the lobby, spraying it with gunfire, shooting a woman and a man before heading to the elevators where he shot a security guard who was taking cover below the security desk.
The suspect pressed the elevator button and headed for the 33rd floor where he would kill one more person before shooting himself in the chest.
However, as the elevator arrived in the lobby, Tisch described an interaction between the gunman and an unidentified female.
“A female exits that elevator and he allows her to walk past him unharmed,” she said. Police gave no more details on the suspect’s move as part of his killing spree.
On CNN’s NewsNight With Abby Phillip, the host said a detail like that could help investigators as they search for answers on the case.
“It really struck out to me that a woman walked off the elevator as he was forcing his way into the building by firing shots indiscriminately in the lobby,” Phillip said.
“And he let her pass without attacking her in any way, got in the elevator and then went up to that 33rd floor. These are all significant details in an investigation that is very much ongoing.”
Police believe the gunman acted alone and that there was no active threat to the public.
Tisch said Las Vegas police had informed them that the suspect had “a documented mental health history.” She added, “His motives are still under investigation, and we are working to understand why he targeted this particular location.”
Earlier, CCTV footage showed Tamura striding into the building with an M4 rifle in hand. Moments after the images were captured, he began “spraying” the lobby “with gunfire,” according to police.
The NYPD identified the officer killed in the attack as 36-year-old Didarul Islam.
“Officer Islam was married with two young boys. His wife is pregnant with their third child,” Tisch said. “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 this city.”
