Slain officer hailed as hero

The Star

21 hours ago

THE New York police officer killed in a mass shooting in a Manhattan skyscraper was an immigrant who left behind a pregnant wife, two young sons and distraught parents, while friends and officials in Bangladesh and the United States described him as a hero.
A gunman opened fire on Monday inside a midtown office tower, killing four people, including Officer Didarul Islam (pic), 36, before fatally shooting himself, officials said.
Excluding Didarul, 42 federal, state, county, municipal, military and US territories officers have died in the line of duty in the first half of 2025, according to preliminary data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
Syed Tanjib Mujib, a childhood friend of Islam from their home district in Bangladesh, said Didarul left for the United States with his parents and other relatives in 2009.
'And the way he died, it's heartbreaking but not surprising. That's just the kind of person he was,' he said.
'Always thinking of others, always ready to help. He died trying to save lives ... Our hearts are broken, but we're proud of him. He'll always be remembered.'
New York Mayor Eric Adams, who met the officer's family on Monday night, also described the three-and-a-half year veteran of the police department as a hero.
'He was saving lives, he was protecting New Yorkers,' Adams told reporters. 'He loved this city, and everyone we spoke with stated he was a person of faith.'
Didarul was married with two young sons, and his wife is pregnant, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters.
'He put himself in harm's way. He made the ultimate sacrifice – shot in cold blood,' she said, adding that Didarul was working on a paid security detail in the building when the shooting occurred.
Mizanul Haque, a cousin of Didarul, speaking from Moul­vibazar district in Bangladesh, said Didarul visited Bangladesh last year in February with his wife and their two boys. He said Didarul's father suffered a stroke after hearing the news, and that his mother hasn't said a word since learning of his death.
'What do you even say to a family that's been shattered like this? All I can hope for now is justice. He didn't deserve to die like this,' he added.
Security workers union president Manny Pastereich identified another shooting victim as security guard Aland Etienne, who was working at the skyscraper.
'This tragedy speaks to the sacrifice of security officers who risk their lives every day to keep New Yorkers and our buildings safe,' the statement read.
'Aland Etienne is a New York hero. We will remember him as such.' — Reuters