Latest news with #massacre
The Sun
19 hours ago
- The Sun
5 mysteries in NY shooting after gunman crossed US to storm Manhattan office & kill 4 – but spare woman leaving elevator
CHILLING mysteries have emerged following the NYC shooting rampage after the assailant drove across the country to massacre people right in the heart of Manhattan. The lone gunman carrying a semi-automatic rifle brazenly walked into a skyscraper less than a mile away from Times Square to launch a bloodbath that rocked the city overnight. 13 13 13 13 The shooter was named as Shane Tamura, 27, by NYC Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. Tamura attacked 345 Park Avenue on East 52nd Street between Park Avenue and Lexington Avenue at about 6.30pm (11.30pm BST) on Monday. He stormed the high-profile office block, sprayed the lobby with gunfire and killed four people including an off-duty police officer. A fifth victim, who was critically injured and is understood to be an NFL employee, remains at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, officials said. Emergency responders desperately tried to save those shot, and a bloodied victim was seen being carried along a street while others tended to a person lying on the ground outside. Hundreds were left running for their lives as they desperately tried to flee the horror. Cops responded with counter-terrorism units, a bomb squad, and a heavy weapons team. As an investigation into the shooting rampage continues, several key details have emerged that deepen the mystery of the shooter. Why did the gunman travel across four states? Tamura, 27 and a Las Vegas resident, travelled cross-country to carry out the shooting right in the heart of Manhattan. According to the New York Police Department (NYPD), Tamura started from Las Vegas, and then his car travelled through Colorado on July 26. He then travelled through Nebraska and Iowa on July 27, and was seen in Columbia, New Jersey, on July 28. The vehicle entered New York City shortly thereafter, before he reached Manhattan. He then double-parked his BMW, got inside the building and massacred four people before turning the gun on himself. A photo obtained by the New York Post appeared to show Tamura - who went to high school in California - had a concealed firearms permit. Why did he choose a high-profile skyscraper? Tamura stormed the 345 Park Avenue office building - right in the heart of Manhattan - to carry out his shooting rampage. The 634-foot skyscraper - owned by Rudin management - houses several financial firms, including Blackstone, Deutsche Bank, and KPMG. It also houses the NFL headquarters and the office of the Consulate General of Ireland. Rudin is one of the largest privately owned real estate companies in New York City. 13 Tamura took the elevator to the 33rd floor which was occupied by the landlord's office. He then "began to walk the floor, firing as he travelled' and killed one more man, Tisch said. Tamura then shot himself in the chest, she added, with his body left splayed on the ground in a walkway inside the office. There were no indications so far that Tamura had prior connections to the real estate industry or to the city. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that a Blackstone chief was among those killed. Why did he spare a woman in elevator? The shooter let a woman walk by unharmed, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a news conference. It is understood that after shooting several people while entering the building, the gunman called for an elevator to go up from the lobby. In a chilling moment of mercy, Tamura then spared the life of a woman who came face-to-face with him as she exited an elevator. 13 13 'A female exits that elevator, and he allows her to walk past him unharmed,' Tisch said. Tamura previously shot at a woman in the lobby, it is understood, making the case more mysterious as to why he spared the second woman's life. Why did he turn the gun on himself on the 33rd floor? The suspected shooter first exchanged fire with a New York Police Department officer in the lobby. Then the gunman went up to the 33rd floor, where he shot his last victim, officials said The NYPD said they received calls from the 32nd and 33rd floors. Workers desperately ran for their lives in suits while those trapped in Blackstone's office built a barricade across the door with furniture. 13 13 Cops then received reports of a body found in a stairwell with a rifle with an apparently self-inflicted injury, the official told CNN. NYPD Chief Tisch said: "He goes up to the 33rd floor... and begins to walk the floor firing rounds as he travels. "One person was struck and killed on that floor." Ms Tisch said Tamura then fatally shot himself in the chest. Was the attack targeted at the NFL because of 'brain disease'? The NFL occupies floors five to eight in the building. One of the people "seriously injured" in the shooting was an NFL employee, The New York Post reports. Tamura, who cops said had a "documented mental health history", had a suicide note in his pocket that alleged he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease linked to head trauma. CTE is a condition commonly associated with football players, as repeated head injuries can cause the disease. It has been widely reported that Tamura, back in his college days, played football - and has been described as a standout athlete. What is CTE? CHRONIC Traumatic Encephalopathy is known as a brain condition that is often linked to repeated head trauma. The condition is diagnosed after death and is commonly found in pro-sports players due to concussions. Some symptoms of CTE include memory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, and progressive dementia. These signs can begin to appear after years or even decades after the last brain trauma. A CTE scan is used to diagnose the brain disease after someone has passed away as there is no test to run while someone is alive. Doctors often slice brain tissue and use special chemicals to make the abnormal tau protein visible to examine for patterns related to CTE. In the note, which was several pages long, Tamura blamed football for his apparent struggle with CTE, cops said. He mentioned in the note that his brain should be studied and added: 'You can't go against the NFL, they'll squash you.' According to CNN, he wrote in it: 'Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze. 'Study my brain please I'm sorry Tell Rick I'm sorry for everything." Terry Long, a former football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers, died by suicide after drinking antifreeze in 2005. Former classmate Caleb Clarke told NBC that Tamura hadn't lived up to the promise he had shown. He said about his former classmate: 'The only thing I can really think of is there was a point where it looked like the sky was the limit, and then it wasn't anymore." Cops are now desperately trying to piece together why he carried out the sick shooting and are yet to officially reveal the motive of the attack. 13 13
South China Morning Post
19 hours ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Survivors of church massacre in DR Congo recount night of terror
Gunshots thundered as attackers burst into the church hall, picked out victims, tied them up and shot them dead, survivors in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) said Monday. Witnesses of the massacre, which took place from Saturday night to Sunday in Komanda, Ituri province, described to Agence France-Presse how Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) fighters massacred dozens of worshippers, including women and children, at the Blessed Anuarite Catholic parish church. Pierre Abendi, 21, said he arrived at the church on Saturday evening and 'fell asleep a few minutes later' before being woken by the sound of gunshots. 'At first, we thought they were boys from the town, but when I heard they were speaking a foreign language, I understood that they were the ADF,' he told Agence France-Presse. 'I stood against a wall and hid behind a mattress. I waited quietly for my turn to die,' he said, his voice trembling. Civilians bury the remains of people killed in an attack carried out by Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) at a church in Komanda, near Ituri's provincial capital of Bunia, northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo: Reuters It was one of the worst recent attacks blamed on the ADF, an Islamist group that is affiliated with the Salafi militant group Islamic State (known as IS, ISIL or ISIS) – shattering recent months of regional calm. It is one of various armed groups present in the northeast and east of the DR Congo, stricken by conflict in recent years. The UN peacekeeping mission in the country (MONUSCO) said the attack killed 43 people overall, including nine children. A priest, Aime Lokana Dhego, said he knew of 'six seriously wounded and a number of young people kidnapped' from the church. One man who asked not to be identified said he was in his shop near the church with his brother when he heard 'gunshots and cries for help'. Minutes later, the attackers knocked on their door. 'If you don't open up, we'll set you on fire,' they said, according to the man. Opening the door, 'we saw them armed with machetes and rifles. It was terrifying.' Once out in the bush, he said, 'We thought they were going to cut our throats.' The two fled when another group of armed men appeared and confronted the ADF, firing shots in the air. A recent attack targeted a Catholic church in the town of Komanda where worshippers had gathered for prayer, local sources told Agence France-Presse by telephone from Bunia, the capital of Ituri province. Photo: AFP On Monday, the two attended a funeral for victims of the attack in Komanda, some 60km (40 miles) southwest of Bunia, the capital of Ituri province in the volatile east of the DRC. After a religious ceremony, the coffins of the victims were placed in a large communal grave for burial, watched by security forces. Local residents were quick to criticise the authorities' handling of security in Komanda. 'We're truly in shock. Children and women have been killed,' one local woman at the funeral told Agence France-Presse. 'What are the security services doing in Komanda? They're not doing their job. They're not doing anything at all.' 'These targeted attacks on defenceless civilians, especially in places of worship, are not only revolting but also contrary to all norms of human rights and international humanitarian law,' said Vivian van de Perre, deputy chief of MONUSCO. The Congolese army denounced the 'large-scale massacre', adding that 'around forty civilians were surprised and killed with machetes and several others were seriously injured'. It said the ADF had decided to take 'revenge on defenceless peaceful populations to spread terror'. A mainly Muslim fundamentalist group formed by former Ugandan rebels, the ADF has looted and killed thousands of civilians in northeastern DRC, despite the deployment of the Ugandan and Congolese armies in the area since 2021. Pope Leo XIV on Monday expressed his dismay and 'profound grief' at the attack. France condemned it 'with utmost firmness' and said it stood 'alongside the Congolese authorities in fighting against terrorist groups and protecting the population'.
CNN
21 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
India says it has killed three militants behind Kashmir tourist massacre
Three militants responsible for a deadly attack on tourists in India-administered Kashmir earlier this year have been killed, a senior Indian official told lawmakers on Tuesday. The massacre in April saw gunmen storm a scenic mountain spot in India-administered Kashmir, killing 26 people, mostly Indian tourists. The murder spree sparked outrage across India and triggered a brief but dangerous conflict between India and Pakistan. The militants were killed in a joint operation by the Indian Army, the Central Reserve Police Force and Jammu and Kashmir police officials, India's Home Minister Amit Shah told parliament. 'Those who were responsible for killing our citizens in Baisaran Valley were these three terrorists and all three were killed,' Shah said. He told lawmakers all three of those killed were Pakistani nationals. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, which Islamabad denied. New Delhi launched airstrikes on its neighbor in the weeks following, sparking a tit-for-tat military response that claimed lives on both sides of the border. India and Pakistan both control parts of Kashmir but claim it in full, and have fought three wars over the mountainous territory. This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN
21 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
India says it has killed three militants behind Kashmir tourist massacre
Three militants responsible for a deadly attack on tourists in India-administered Kashmir earlier this year have been killed, a senior Indian official told lawmakers on Tuesday. The massacre in April saw gunmen storm a scenic mountain spot in India-administered Kashmir, killing 26 people, mostly Indian tourists. The murder spree sparked outrage across India and triggered a brief but dangerous conflict between India and Pakistan. The militants were killed in a joint operation by the Indian Army, the Central Reserve Police Force and Jammu and Kashmir police officials, India's Home Minister Amit Shah told parliament. 'Those who were responsible for killing our citizens in Baisaran Valley were these three terrorists and all three were killed,' Shah said. He told lawmakers all three of those killed were Pakistani nationals. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, which Islamabad denied. New Delhi launched airstrikes on its neighbor in the weeks following, sparking a tit-for-tat military response that claimed lives on both sides of the border. India and Pakistan both control parts of Kashmir but claim it in full, and have fought three wars over the mountainous territory. This is a developing story and will be updated.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
ISIL claims responsibility for deadly church attack in eastern DR Congo
The armed group ISIL (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for a deadly attack that a United Nations mission says killed at least 43 worshippers during a night mass at a church in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The attack, which took place at the church in Ituri province's Komanda city, saw members of the ISIL-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) killing people with guns and machetes, and taking captives. ISIL said on its Telegram channel that rebels had killed some 45 churchgoers and burned dozens of homes and shops. The UN mission known as MONUSCO said at least 43 people had been killed, including 19 women and nine children, and condemned the attack. Pope Leo sent a message of condolences to the bereaved families and the Christian community who lost their relatives and friends in the assault, saying he would pray for them. The Congolese government condemned the church attack as 'horrific', while the military described it as a 'large-scale massacre' carried out in revenge for recent security operations targeting the ADF. However, M23, another Congolese rebel group, backed by Rwanda, used the attack to accuse the government of 'blatant incompetence' in attempts to protect citizens. MONUSCO said the church killings will 'exacerbate an already extremely worrying humanitarian situation in the province'. The church attack on Sunday was the latest in a series of deadly ADF assaults on civilians, including an attack earlier this month when the group killed 66 people in Ituri province. The attack happened on July 11, at about 1am (00:00 GMT) in the Irumu area, near the border with Uganda. The ADF originates in neighbouring Uganda, but is now based in the mineral-rich eastern DRC. It mounts frequent attacks, further destabilising a region where many armed groups compete for influence and resources. The ADF was formed by disparate small groups in Uganda in the late 1990s following alleged discontent with President Yoweri Museveni. In 2002, following military assaults by Ugandan forces, the group moved its activities to the neighbouring DRC and has since been responsible for the killings of thousands of civilians. In 2019, it pledged allegiance to ISIL. The ADF's leadership says it is fighting to form a government in the East African country. The DRC army has long struggled against the rebel group, and it is now also grappling with a complex web of attacks since renewed hostilities with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels.
