Crime
Security guard Aland Etienne Killed in Midtown Manhattan Mass Shooting
NEW YORK, NY — Julia Hyman, a 26-year-old Cornell University graduate and associate at Rudin Management, has been confirmed as one of the victims in Monday’s deadly mass shooting at 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan.
Hyman was killed in her office on the 33rd floor, tragically caught in the path of gunman Shane Tamura, who, according to investigators, mistakenly accessed the wrong elevator and ended up on the floor occupied by Rudin Management instead of his intended target—the National Football League’s headquarters.
Hyman’s death brings the total number of fatalities to four, including NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, 36; Blackstone senior managing director Wesley LePatner, 43; and security officer Aland Etienne.
The attack began shortly after 6:30 p.m., when Tamura entered the lobby of the high-rise and opened fire, striking the officer assigned to a corporate security detail and a woman attempting to flee.
He then moved toward the elevators, shooting Etienne at his security post before reaching the 33rd floor and fatally shooting Hyman.
The gunman, identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura of Las Vegas, drove cross-country armed with an M4-style rifle, allegedly planning a targeted attack on the NFL due to grievances involving chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain condition linked to football-related head trauma.
Tamura left behind a handwritten note referencing CTE and former NFL player Terry Long.
Authorities believe he intended to confront the league over its handling of the condition but ended up on the wrong floor and killed employees of unrelated firms. Tamura ultimately turned the weapon on himself after the shooting spree.
In a statement, the Rudin family expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss:
“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.”
Blackstone, where victim Wesley LePatner served as Global Head of Core+ Real Estate and CEO of the Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT), also closed its Manhattan offices in the wake of the tragedy.
“We are heartbroken to share that our colleague, Wesley LePatner, was among those who lost their lives in the tragic incident at 345 Park Avenue. Words cannot express the devastation we feel,” Blackstone said in a statement.
Labor union 32BJ SEIU identified Aland Etienne as a member and praised his service:
“Aland Etienne is a New York hero. We will remember him as such,” said union president Manny Pastreich, noting that the union is working with law enforcement and building management while offering counseling to affected members.
Meanwhile, the NFL confirmed that one of its employees was seriously injured in the attack but is in stable condition. In a memo to staff, Commissioner Roger Goodell emphasized that all other personnel were accounted for and safe.
Other firms with offices in the building, including KPMG, closed operations on Tuesday. In a statement, the accounting giant expressed gratitude to first responders:
“Our hearts are with the victims of this horrific act and their families, as well as all of our neighbors in 345 Park. This was a terrible, tragic, and frightening event.”
As the investigation continues, law enforcement officials are working to determine how Tamura gained access to the building and what security measures may have been bypassed. Mayor Eric Adams said preliminary findings show Tamura accessed the wrong elevator bank, leading him to Rudin Management’s offices instead of the NFL’s.
Police continue to comb through evidence and interview witnesses to piece together the full sequence of events behind one of the deadliest mass shootings in Manhattan in recent years.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.