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Fox News
2 days ago
- Fox News
Manhattan high-rise shooting victims: NYPD officer, Blackstone executive and security guard among those killed
Four people were killed when a gunman stormed into a New York City skyscraper at the end of the business day on Monday. An off-duty New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer, a security guard, a Blackstone executive and a Rudin employee were fatally wounded at 345 Park Avenue at 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan. Authorities said Monday night that a fifth victim had been shot and was hospitalized in critical but stable condition. The accused gunman – identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura – died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on the 33rd floor of the building, according to police. The building houses offices for the Blackstone Group, the National Football League (NFL), Rudin Management Company and "Big Four" accounting firm KPMG, among other businesses. The motive remains under investigation. Authorities said Tamura was a Las Vegas resident who last worked an overnight security job at Horseshoe Las Vegas. New York City Mayor Eric Adams told Fox News that NYPD teams are traveling to Las Vegas to conduct a search warrant on Tamura's home and determine how Tamura obtained the AR-15-style rifle used in the shooting. Investigators believe Tamura assembled the gun using a lower receiver purchased by "an associate." NYC GUNMAN APPEARED TO HAVE GRIEVANCE AGAINST NFL, WENT TO WRONG ELEVATOR BANK IN DEADLY RAMPAGE, MAYOR SAYS NYPD Officer Didarul Islam The NYPD identified Officer Didarul Islam as among those killed. Islam, 33, of the Bronx, was an immigrant from Bangladesh who worked in the NYPD's 47th Precinct, according to Adams. Islam, who served in the NYPD for about three and a half years, was off-duty at the time of the shooting and was working as a private security guard at the building. His wife is pregnant, soon to give birth to their third child. In a video statement Tuesday, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said "in an act of senseless violence, we lost a brother, a friend, and an NYPD hero." Islam "was murdered, wearing the uniform respected the world over. Your uniform," she told the force. "Officer Islam's death was yet another reminder of everything you risk just by showing up to work. He knew that risk. He embraced it. He understood what it meant to put the safety of others above his own. Now, we owe it to him and every member of this department to sift through the chaos of yesterday's crime scene and get some answers." NYPD officers lined the streets on Monday night as they carried out a dignified transfer of Islam's body. Islam "put on his uniform and went to work. To protect his city," the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York wrote on X. "To provide for his family. He should have been going home to them tonight." "Instead, we are carrying him on his final journey," the union added, asking for prayers for the victims and their families. "And please pray for the police officers who will carry on protecting this city from the evil we saw tonight." New York City hosted a multi-faith vigil and prayer service in Bryant Park on Tuesday night to honor the victims. Wesley LePatner Blackstone mourned 43-year-old Wesley LePatner as "a beloved member of the Blackstone family" who "will be sorely missed." She joined the company in 2014 after a decade-long career at Goldman Sachs. A highly-regarded senior executive, she served as Blackstone's Global Head of Core+ Real Estate and the CEO of the Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT). LePatner took over as BREIT CEO on Jan. 1 of this year. The $53 billion real estate fund caters to wealthy clients. "She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond. She embodied the best of Blackstone," Blackstone said in a statement. "Our prayers are with her husband, children and family. We are also saddened by the loss of the other innocent victims as well, including brave security personnel and NYPD." LePatner, a married mother of two children, was also an active member of the Park East Synagogue in Manhattan. The UJA-Federation of New York, a charitable organization supporting Jewish communities, said LePatner led a "solidarity mission" with UJA to Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas, "demonstrating her enduring commitment in Israel's moment of heartache." The organization said she "lived with courage and conviction, instilling in her two children a deep love for Judaism and the Jewish people." "We are all mourning the loss of such an extraordinary person and extend our heartfelt condolences to her entire family," UJA added. LePatner met her husband, Evan LePatner, during their freshman year at Yale University. He is a managing partner at the private equity firm Courizon Partners. BLACKSTONE IDENTIFIES EMPLOYEE KILLED IN NYC SHOOTING Aland Etienne The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) identified one of its members, Aland Etienne, as one of the shooting victims killed. The union remembered Etienne as "a dedicated security officer who took his job duties extremely seriously." "We have been in touch with Aland Etienne's family and are working with building management and the NYPD to support their investigation," 32BJ SEIU, which is the largest property service workers' union in the country, said in a statement. "We are ensuring our members in the building receive the free union counseling and support services they deserve and need to manage this unspeakable loss." "This tragedy speaks to the sacrifice of security officers who risk their lives every day to keep New Yorkers and our buildings safe," the union added. "Every time a security officer puts on their uniform, they put their lives on the line. Their contributions to our city are essential, though often unappreciated. Aland Etienne is a New York hero. We will remember him as such." Etienne's brother, Gathmand Etienne, also released a statement on social media. "My family suffered a heartbreaking tragedy. My brother, Aland, lost his life in the shooting that happened in New York while he was at work," he wrote on Facebook. "He was more than a brother – he was a father, a son, and a light in our lives. Our hearts are shattered, and we're asking for your prayers and strength as we navigate this painful time." "Rest in peace, Brother. You'll never be forgotten," he added. Rudin Employee Rudin Management Company said that one of its employees – reportedly a graduate of Cornell University just five years out of college – was killed in the shooting. Her family has asked for privacy. "The Rudin family and everyone at our company are devastated by yesterday's senseless tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with those injured and lost last night, including our cherished Rudin colleague, a brave New York City police officer, a beloved lobby security guard and an employee at a tenant firm," the company said in a statement. "We are grateful to the NYPD, FBI, EMS and multiple other emergency responders for their swift and courageous action." The company also thanked the mayor and the police commissioner for "their leadership" and said the building would remain closed Tuesday as the authorities continue their investigations. "As New Yorkers, we stand shoulder to shoulder in the face of this hatred, we grieve with the families and loved ones of those lost, and we pray for the full recovery of those injured," Rudin added. At a press conference Monday, the NYPD commissioner detailed how multiple 911 calls came in at approximately 6:28 p.m. to report an active shooter inside 345 Park Avenue. Tamura exited a double-parked black BMW with Nevada plates on Park Avenue between 51st and 52nd streets, carrying an M4 rifle in his right hand, Tisch said. The building's security camera footage showed the gunman enter the lobby, turn right, and immediately open fire on an NYPD officer. He then shot a woman who took cover behind a pillar and proceeded through the lobby, spraying it with gunfire, according to the police commissioner. Video shows him making his way to the elevator bank, where he shot a security guard who was taking cover behind a security desk, police said. Tisch said an additional male – the hospitalized survivor – was shot in the lobby. Police said the shooter then called the elevator, which opens in the lobby. "A female exited that elevator, and he allowed her to walk past him unharmed," Tisch said. The shooter then went to the 33rd floor, where Rudin Management is located, and began to walk around and fire rounds. One person was struck and killed on that floor, police said. Tisch said the gunman proceeded down a hallway and shot himself in the chest. Investigators believe Tamura's vehicle traveled cross-country through Colorado on July 26, then through Nebraska and Iowa on July 27. The vehicle was spotted in Columbia, New Jersey, around 4:24 p.m. Monday before it entered New York City. Tisch said law enforcement partners in Las Vegas reported that Tamura had "a documented mental health history." CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Adams said investigators were analyzing a suicide note in which Tamura expressed his belief that he experienced chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or C.T.E., and voiced grievances with the NFL. Tisch said the gunman allegedly wrote "study my brain" in the note. Adams said that Tamura likely wanted to target the NFL office but took the wrong elevator bank. Tamura played football in high school in Los Angeles County but never in the NFL. Fox News' Brooke Taylor, Leonard Balducci and Terrence Kenny contributed to this report.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Residents of NYC co-op facing 450% rent hike could lose homes amid market 'craziness' — how an ownership quirk hurt them
Richard Hirsch lives in Carnegie House, a 1960s brick co-op building nestled within New York City's glitzy Midtown Manhattan. He used to joke that he lived on 'Thousandaires' Row' — a play on the 'Billionaires' Row' nickname given to the neighborhood, now crowded with supertall skyscrapers and condos trading for tens of millions of dollars. Shop Top Mortgage Rates Personalized rates in minutes Your Path to Homeownership A quicker path to financial freedom But Hirsch and his wife Jill Strauss aren't laughing anymore. After the couple paid around $400,000 for their two-bedroom co-op in the 1990s, The Wall Street Journal reports they now face a crushing rent hike that could push their monthly costs from about $5,000 to $13,000. The shock stems from a little-known feature of their ownership structure: a long-term ground lease. And it's a time bomb that could explode under thousands of other New Yorkers. Don't miss Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now A 450% increase — and a fight for survival In most real estate deals, you own your home and the land beneath it. But some co-op buildings sit on land leased from another party, and tenants can build on and improve the property. This was originally a way to make housing affordable in pricey areas. Buyers paid less upfront but covered the cost of the land over time through rent. Many of these leases last for decades, and terms are renegotiated at regular intervals. If a lease expires, a landlord may be able to take ownership of any structures. Several Carnegie House residents told The Journal they were aware of the ground lease when purchasing their apartments, but were advised by attorneys costs were unlikely to jump significantly. However, values in the surrounding area have since spiked, and in 2014 the land was sold for $261 million to an entity tied to real estate tycoons Rubin Schron and David Werner. Residents hoped for a manageable rent increase when the lease reset in 2025. But after negotiations broke down, an independent arbitration panel announced a ruling on July 18 that would raise the co-op's annual ground rent from $4.36 million to around $24 million — a 450% increase. Hirsch, who serves as co-op board president, called the ruling 'basically death,' per The Journal. He and the board are exploring their legal options. If the lease tenants — which include the owners of the building's retail and garage spaces — can't pay the new rent, the building could go into default and residents would lose all equity in their homes, the co-op board told The Journal. If the ground lease is terminated, those with mortgages may also be stuck owing the bank, despite no longer owning their units. The human cost Lou and Barb Grumet, both in their 80s and living on fixed pensions, bought their Carnegie House apartment in 2011 for around $780,000. They chose the building for its accessibility and proximity to hospitals. Now, their monthly costs are expected to leap from $3,700 to $9,000. 'We were going to live here till we die,' Lou told The Journal. 'No one dreamed of the craziness that's happened here.' Some residents believe the landowners want exactly that: to push them out and make way for a new supertall skyscraper. A spokesperson for the landowners told The Journal there were no redevelopment plans, saying residents knew the risks and got a discount when they bought in. Stay in the know. Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise sent straight to your inbox every week for free. Still, warning signs have been flashing for years. After the 2014 sale, major banks stopped issuing mortgages in the building. Prices have tanked. One unit that sold for $535,000 in 2015 is now listed for $189,000, reports The Journal. Carnegie House isn't alone. According to the Ground Lease Coop Coalition, more than 25,000 New Yorkers live in co-ops with similar land arrangements. Many of those leases are nearing expiration or scheduled resets, meaning other buildings could soon face similar rent spikes and financial chaos. 'These co-ops are time bombs,' attorney Geoffrey Mazel, who's worked on ground lease negotiations across the city, told The Journal. Can lawmakers help? State lawmakers introduced a bill in 2024 to cap rent increases after ground leases expire, among other protections, but the bill didn't advance. A narrower version passed some committees in 2025 but stalled. The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) opposed the legislation, arguing that 'meddling in longstanding contracts for the benefit of a small handful of largely wealthy homeowners and real-estate speculators in Manhattan is bad public policy,' according to a statement obtained by The Journal. Supporters say laws should adapt to the needs of the public. 'It hasn't been a problem until now,' State Sen. Liz Krueger told The Journal. 'So now we have to intervene.' What buyers should know If you're shopping for a co-op in NYC, ask whether the building sits on a ground lease and how much time is left on it. If the lease expires within 20 years or includes major rent reset clauses, that may be cause for concern — for both you and mortgage lenders. Have a real estate attorney review the lease terms before you sign anything. If you already own a home in a ground-lease building, stay informed. Talk to your co-op board, follow any arbitration updates and stay up to date with advocacy groups fighting for legal protections. And if you're facing a huge hike in costs like Carnegie House residents, consult a financial planner to weigh your options, including whether to stay or sell. But selling may not offer much relief. When values plummet and buyers can't get loans, you might be stuck. What to read next Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan 'works every single time' to kill debt, get rich in America — and that 'anyone' can do it Here are 5 simple ways to grow rich with real estate if you don't want to play landlord. And you can even start with as little as $10 Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Couture For A Cause Features Young Designers In Luxury New York Homes
Drishti Gangwani and Katherine Van Brunt at Couture for a Cause by SHOPCLOSR x KVB at The Lincoln Isham House, Midtown Manhattan, NYC There are open houses in New York, and then there are open houses with couture. Couture For A Cause recently hosted a private fashion presentation and reception in New York City to highlight a selected number of independent couture designers. It wasn't held in a boutique, but rather inside the historic Lincoln Isham House, a $10.5 million townhouse (currently for sale) originally built by Abraham Lincoln's granddaughter, Mary Todd Lincoln Isham. Three designers, Megan Renee, Vellachor and Darzi Studio, each took over a room in the storied townhouse, turning it into a salon, allowing visitors to connect directly with their collections, book private consultations and place orders through Closr, which is a website where fashionistas can purchase one-of-a-kind, ethical pieces from designers who support sustainability efforts. The event was co-hosted by Katherine Van Brunt, Global Advisor at The Global Wealth Office at Nest Seekers, which has listed the Lincoln Isham House, teamed up with Closr founder Drishti Gangwani for Couture for a Cause, which blended timeless staging with contemporary fashion. It's a refreshing way to usher in popularity to sell homes and luxury fashion in this current market. The idea came about last year. 'At another fashion event in the city, we were overlooking a historic townhouse in Manhattan, swapping stories about couture presentations through the ages, and a question emerged: Why aren't more people blending fashion and real estate in a meaningful way?' said Van Brunt. The duo fused together fashion and luxury homes. 'Drishti has access to exquisite fashion, so the fit was obvious, and yet, no one else was doing it,' she said. 'That conversation became a brainstorm, and that brainstorm became Couture for a Cause.' The home is part of fashion film history, as the staircase was featured in the 2006 film, The Devil Wears Prada, serving as the home for Miranda Priestly. Rythum Singh at Couture for a Cause by SHOPCLOSR x KVB Jiraurd Key/ 'This architecturally iconic home reflects a forgotten era of fashion, the couture salons of the mid-20th century, where models would walk through grand rooms presenting garments one-on-one to collectors,' said Ganwani. 'We wanted to revive that intimacy, that luxury of attention, and infuse it with modern values: sustainability, independence, and storytelling. The house became the perfect stage for the kind of immersive experience we wanted to create. Not sterile. Not transactional. But cinematic and alive.' The duo plan to turn this into what they call 'a cultural series' of events. 'It isn't just another trunk show in a pretty home,' said Ganwani. 'It reimagines how fashion and real estate can co-create.' Van Brundt adds: 'With couture making a bold return to the center of fashion, and homebuyers craving connection over polish, this format feels inevitable. We're building an ecosystem: one where space, story, and style come together in ways that are human, elevated, and unforgettable.' Tenny Zhang at Couture for a Cause by SHOPCLOSR x KVB Jiraurd Key/ The couture designers included Megan Renee, a womenswear brand founded by Megan Smith in New York. 'The brand uses deadstock fabric, produces locally, and holds minimal inventory, ensuring that every piece is as considered as it is striking,' Said Ganwani. It also featured Vellachor, created by Ella Titus in Los Angeles, which is inspired by antique objects and old bookstores. 'Each piece is ethically handcrafted using deadstock materials,' adds Ganwani. Couture for a Cause also featured Darzi Studio, which creates made-to-order or upcycled pieces designed by Rythum Singh. 'With no inventory and no waste, it's fashion that evolves with the wearer, built to last and designed to be reborn,' notes Ganwani. Alysha Hemani, Paloma Hutton, Melody V, Sarah Murray at Couture for a Cause by SHOPCLOSR x KVB Jiraurd Key/ With monolithic luxury brands taking over our consciousness, Ganwani and Van Brunt both feel the importance of supporting independent designers. 'True luxury is disappearing,' said Ganwani. 'What once meant craftsmanship, individuality, and story has become mass-produced and over-marketed.' 'We want to bring luxury back to its essence: artistry, rarity, soul,' adds Van Brunt. 'It's about giving clients a direct line to the creator and reminding them that what they wear—like where they live—should feel personal.' Stay tuned for the next Couture for a Cause event, which will be held during New York Fashion Week in September.
The Independent
7 days ago
- The Independent
Staff slowly return to 345 Park Avenue one week after New York's Midtown mass shooting
A New York City office building where a gunman killed four people then himself has reopened a week after the deadly shootings. On Monday, workers trickled back into 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, a skyscraper home to high-profile tenants including the NFL and asset management firm Blackstone. New York City police officers and a police dog were seen guarding the building, where a memorial and bouquets of flowers paid tribute the victims of the shooting: NYPD detective Didarul Islam, Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, Rudin Management employee Julia Hyman and security officer Aland Etienne. An NFL employee was also wounded in the attack. Blackstone employee Erma Hernandez told CBS News of returning to the building, "You think about your family. You think about your loved ones. You think about the lives that were lost and all the fear that came to us on Monday. But, again, we are here and it feels so much better to be in the office today to kind of go through this together.' Blackstone employees were given the option of returning to the office or continuing to work from home and the NFL has reportedly told staff to continue working remotely until at least the end of the week. Those who went into the office reported a quieter than normal atmosphere around the building. "I feel a little sad because I don't see a lot of my customers, they are like family, they come every day," Maribel Macedo, the owner of Eggstravaganza food truck, told ABC 7 New York. The nearby St. Bartholomew's church plans to host a public interfaith prayer service Monday evening. Gunman Shane Tamura drove across the country from Las Vegas to the New York building where he last week fired 47 shots from an assault rifle in a shooting that spanned multiple floors of the Manhattan tower. Tamura, 27, said in a note he believed he was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain condition, that has been linked to the head trauma endured in contact sports such as football. CTE can only be diagnosed in studies of the brain after death. The Nevada man, who played football in high school, appeared to target the building because of its tie to the NFL, officials said. A former high school teammate told The Independent that Tamura took 'some big hits' that left him 'looking empty' during his football career. Medical examiners plan to examine Tamura's brain as part of the autopsy process.
CBS News
7 days ago
- CBS News
NYC office building reopens week after mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan
The New York City office building where a gunman fatally shot four people and himself reopened Monday, one week after the deadly rampage. Workers returned to 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan under the watchful eyes of NYPD officers and a surplus of additional security following the mass shooting. According to investigators, gunman Shane Tamura was targeting the National Football League headquarters when he unloaded 47 rounds from an assault rifle, killing four people, including an off-duty NYPD officer, before turning the gun on himself. Many companies inside the building left it up to employees to decide whether they were ready to return. The NFL told its employees to work remotely until the end of the week, and Blackstone officials said their workers were given the option to work from home. The shooting victims were identified as NYPD Det. Didarul Islam, Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, Rudin Management employee Julia Hyman and security officer Aland Etienne. LaPatner, Hyman and Islam, were laid to rest last week. Etienne's funeral will be held on Saturday. "I just feel sad, you know. That's really what I feel at this point in time. Just very sad for all the innocent lives lost," a man who works at the Bank of America on the ground floor said. "It's not going to feel the same because now every time that you walk by here now, it's just, unfortunately, stained." He added that his colleagues had helped one of the shooting victims open a bank account. St. Bartholomew's Church, next door to 345 Park Ave., raised a banner offering its support to workers still healing from the trauma inflicted by the shooting. "We are here for you," the banner reads, a small comfort amid unimaginable grief.
