Following the dignified transfer on Monday night, July 28, of slain NYPD Det. First Grade Didarul Islam [posthumously promoted from police officer] from Midtown Manhattan, where he was killed by an active shooter earlier that day, several hundred NYPD police officers, detectives, and top-ranking police officials, including Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, joined Bronx residents on Tuesday, July 29, in a guard of honor as his body was transferred into his local mosque at 1203 Virginia Avenue in Parkchester.

 

As reported, nearly 24 hours earlier, an active shooter carrying an automatic rifle fatally shot Islam, a Bangladeshi American immigrant, husband, only son, a father of two with another baby on the way, who had been working on a private, NYPD, uniformed assignment inside a Midtown Manhattan office building located at 345 Park Avenue. He had been assigned to the 47th Precinct since December 2022.

 

The gunman also shot Alain Etienne, 46, a father, son, brother and security guard from the Haitian American community, and two women from the Jewish American community, also working in the building, Julia Hyman, 27, a daughter, sister, and Rudin Management employee, and Wesley LePatner, 43, a wife, mother of two, and executive at Blackstone global investment company. LePatner was an alumna of Horace Mann School (Class of 1999) in Fieldston, while Hyman, 27, had attended Riverdale Country School in Riverdale from 2003 to 2016. Read our additional story on LePatner and Hyman here.

 

As reported, police said the shooter, later identified as Shane Tamura, 27, of Las Vegas, who they said had a “documented mental health history,” died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and another injured man was reported to be in critical but stable condition. Police said there were some other more minor injuries incurred also as people attempted to escape. For more on the sequence of Tamura’s actions on entering the building, read our previous story here.

On Monday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said of the tragedy, “Tonight, we mourn four New Yorkers, including one of New York’s Finest, taken in a senseless act of violence. Our hearts are with their loved ones, and everyone affected by this tragedy, and we honor the first responders who bravely ran towards danger.”

 

She added, “New York lost someone who made the city safer every single day. Let us mourn together, and let us carry his legacy forward.” Taking aim at the federal government, she called again for a national ban on assault rifles, saying, “If this nation loses yet another moment moment to do what is right, that they’ve neglected to do for decades, then shame on them. This is the time to stand up and say no more slaughter by a weapon of mass destruction designed to kill people on the battlefield, not in our building here in the Great City of New York. That era must end.” 

 

On Tuesday, the NYPD wrote, “Last night, we stood shoulder to shoulder for the dignified transfer of Police Officer Didarul Islam, a husband, a father, a son. He leaves behind a city in grief. Officer Islam died as he lived: a hero.” As reported, the 47th Precinct covers the north Bronx neighborhoods of Woodlawn, Wakefield, Williamsbridge, Baychester, Edenwald, Olinville, Fishbay, as well as Woodlawn Cemetery.

 

The Precinct also shared a message on social media mourning their colleague’s loss, writing, “It is with profound sorrow that the 47th Precinct mourns the loss of Police Officer Didarul Islam, a valued member of our command, a husband, a father, and a dedicated public servant.”

The post continued, “Officer Islam was carrying out his duty to protect New Yorkers when his life was tragically taken. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, loved ones, and all who served alongside him. His service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.”

 

As an NYPD helicopter hovered overhead and uniformed officers lined Parkchester’s Virginia Avenue, civilians and many off-duty, police officers and detectives, stood behind the official guard of honor for the dignified transfer of Islam’s remains into the Jame Masjid mosque. Many residents and passersby recorded the rare scene on their cell phones.

 

About a dozen members of NYPD’s Highway Patrol unit on motorcycles led the NYPD’s Emergency Services medical unit carrying Islam’s body to the mosque located at the corner of Gleason Avenue, followed by a caravan of unmarked vehicles.

 

At least two heavily armed police officers stood guard in front of the mosque and were joined by an officer with a German Shepherd from the K-9 unit, while a contingent from the New York State Police also joined fellow officers in paying homage to the slain officer.

As standing officers saluted, other officers wheeled out the gurney carrying Islam’s coffin, draped with an NYPD flag, with one hand, while holding their other hand across their chests and transferred their colleague’s remains into the mosque through a side entrance. Some congregants appeared visibly shaken. One older man used a handkerchief to wipe away tears, while a young man was seen putting his arms around another man to console him.

 

Later that evening, Tisch joined NYC Mayor Eric Adams and Hochul at a multifaith prayer vigil in honor of all the shooting victims in Bryant Park in Midtown Manhattan. “Tonight, we came together in sorrow and in remembrance to honor four lives taken far too soon,” Tisch later wrote. “And for those of us in the NYPD, we carry a particular weight as we mourn one of our own.”

 

She added, “Officer Didarul Islam was a New York City police officer who represented the very best of our city. He served with quiet strength and unwavering purpose. He didn’t ask for attention. He didn’t ask for praise. He simply showed up , tour after tour, and did the work that holds this city together.”

 

The commissioner, who is Jewish, said, “In the Jewish tradition, when someone passes, we say, ‘May their memory be a blessing’. It’s not a comfort; it’s a call to make sure that what was good in someone’s life doesn’t end with their death because a memory doesn’t become a blessing on its own. It becomes one when we carry forward what was best in them, their courage, their kindness, their sense of duty, their love for others.”

She continued, “And even now, in these first, painful hours, we see that beginning, the people who knew them best are already carrying that blessing in the stories they share, in the silence they keep, in the depth of the loss they hold together. That kind of love doesn’t disappear. That kind of service doesn’t end. They were taken from our arms in violence and they now rest in God’s arms in peace. May their memories be a blessing.”

 

Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening, before a regularly scheduled New York Yankees game at Yankee Stadium, a moment of silence was held in memory of Islam. The Bronx Bombers later wrote in part, “The entire Yankees organization sends its condolences to [Islam’s] family as well as to the families of the other victims of this senseless act of violence.”

 

Early on Wednesday morning, July 30, the commissioner, seen wearing what appeared to be a chain with a pendant of a crescent moon, sometimes interpreted as a symbol of unity, brotherhood, and the pursuit of wisdom and peace in the Muslim world, was once again joined by the mayor and the governor as they visited the 47th Precinct stationhouse on Laconia Avenue in Wakefield for a closed press event.

Tisch later wrote, “Officer Islam lived as he died, a hero. Today, we visited @NYPD47Pct for what should have been his 0630 roll call. His absence weighed heavy. There is no amount of training or years on the job that can prepare us for losing one of our own. While their hearts are broken, our @NYPD47Pct officers keep showing up with strength and purpose. It’s what makes this department so extraordinary. May Officer Islam’s memory be a blessing.” On Wednesday evening, the mayor visited Islam’s father and relatives in The Bronx.

 

Further to the initial press briefing held Monday night after the shooting in Midtown, speaking on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” the following morning, the mayor, a former police officer, was asked if anything further was known about the motive for the shooting.

 

Adams confirmed that a note written by Tamura was found on his person after the shooting which made reference to the NFL and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a type of brain injury associated with concussions. It had also been reported that in the note, Tamura had asked for his brain to be studied. According to published media reports, Tamura had been a standout running back for a Golden Valley High School in the Los Angeles area but never played college or professional football.

As reported, along with other companies, including Rudin Management, Blackstone, and KMPG, police confirmed the NFL has an office at 345 Park Avenue, and that Tamura exited the elevator on the 33rd floor of the building. [NFL’s office is reportedly on the fifth floor.] ABC News reported that one of the injured victims is an employee of the NFL, according to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

 

Norwood News reached out to the NFL for confirmation and “Melvin” from NFL responded, saying everyone at the organization was very saddened by the events that happened and confirmed that one of the injured victims was indeed an NFL employee. “His name is Craig Clementi, and he works in the finance department at the NFL,” he said. 

 

The statement continued, “According to multiple reports, Clementi was struck by a bullet in the back during the attack. Despite the severity of the incident, he is currently in stable condition after undergoing surgery. His father-in-law shared that there was some spinal damage, but Clementi is ‘doing well.'”

 

The statement continued, “Remarkably, even after being injured, he was reportedly on the phone warning colleagues and advising them to evacuate while being transported to the hospital. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed in a memo that Clementi was seriously injured and that the league is supporting his family during this difficult time.”

 

It concluded, “This is a deeply distressing event, and our thoughts are with Craig Clementi, his loved ones, and everyone affected by the violence. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed by this news, it’s okay to seek support, whether through a trusted friend, a counselor, or an employee assistance program.”

In a separate statement issued online on Monday, the organization said, “The NFL is deeply grateful for the outpouring of support following the tragic act of violence at the New York City building that houses our league office among other organizations. We honor the four innocent lives lost, including NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, whose heroism will never be forgotten.”

 

It continued, “Our thoughts are with the survivors as they begin the difficult journey of physical and emotional recovery. The NFL family is resilient and united, and together, we will find strength in one another as we heal.”

 

During a separate interview on Tuesday morning with Rocanews, the mayor repeated that the investigation was still ongoing. “Based on his [Tamura’s] note claiming that he has CTE, we are looking to see if his desire was to go to the NFL or if his desire was to go somewhere else,” Adams said. “We’re unclear at this time. It was a theory at first saying that he may have used the wrong elevator banks because it allows you to go to certain floors.”

 

He continued, “We’re still examining that, finding out exactly as much as possible of what was his intention. We may find more information on his computers. We may find more information when we interview those who are associated with him, some of his employees. We’re not sure of what his final destination [was] at this time.” CNN previously reported that the NFL acknowledges a link between football and brain disorders like CTE. The topic was also chronicled in the 2015 Will Smith movie, “Concussion.”

Meanwhile, a day after the active shooting incident took place, police said they were called to a residential home on Nelson Avenue in the Highbridge section of The Bronx at around 12.30 for a report of [a person armed with] a possible gun. A man with an address in Inwood was later taken into custody without incident, police said.

 

The fact that Islam was working on a private NYPD security detail at the time he was shot has highlighted the fact that the NYPD continues to actively recruit to fill its ranks at a time when reports suggest potential applicants are slow to sign up due to the harassment police officers sometimes receive from some members of the public.

 

Speaking recently to NY1’s Errol Louis, NYPD Chief of Department John Chell was asked how recruitment was going. He said in part, “It’s a great, noble profession to protect and serve, and I’ve done it [as a beat cop], and friends of mine have done it, and it’s still a great job.” In a separate interview, the mayor talked about the current diversity of police officers within the department.

Speaking in a separate interview about the NYPD, the governor said, “We admire you immensely. Everyone has the opportunity to say I want to be a police officer, go through the training, be assigned to a precinct, walk the beat, save people’s lives, but so few people do because fear is a natural human emotion.”

 

Hochul added, “And to be so selfless, I said, ‘All of you [police officers] must have been raised by really good parents that made you realize that this is more than just ourselves.’ We’re here on earth to make other people’s lives better, and in their case, they’re making them safer. We cannot have a city survive without NYPD doing their jobs, and we celebrate them, honor them, but also today, we mourn with them.”

Meanwhile, in reference to the Midtown Manhattan active shooter incident which killed Islam, Chell said active shooters are all different and such incidents unfold very fast. Asked how the NYPD was coping with Islam’s loss, he said, “We just keep on moving to keep this City safe. Everyone mourns in their own way. We have to go on,” he said. “The NYPD is 24/7/365 and we must go on. Talk to your friends. Talk to your neighbors. talk to your love ones, and we’ll do the best we can, and take care of yourself.”

 

Help is available for anyone dealing with mental health issues. Read our recent health check here. For immediate mental health support in New York City, anyone can contact NYC Well 24/7 by calling 888-NYC-WELL (692-9355), texting “WELL” to 65173, or visiting NYC.gov for online chat. For crisis situations, dialing 988 connects individuals to free, confidential crisis counseling and support. 

 

For more on this story, click here and here.

Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crimestoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips.

 

All calls are strictly confidential.