New York: Gunman kills 4 people in Manhattan before committing suicide

At least four people, including a New York City police officer, were killed in a shooting Monday evening inside a skyscraper in midtown Manhattan, New York City, after a gunman stormed the building and began shooting randomly before committing suicide, according to US media reports.

A security source told CNN that the gunman opened fire on a number of people, killing four, including a police officer. The source added that the perpetrator then took his own life by shooting himself.

For her part, New York Police Chief Jessica Tisch announced in a social media post that "the situation is under control," noting that "the lone gunman has been neutralized."

The incident occurred around 6 p.m. local time inside 345 Park Avenue, a high-rise building that houses several offices, including the headquarters of the NFL and financial giant Blackstone.

According to eyewitnesses, the gunman entered the building carrying a machine gun and began moving between floors. A woman who was in the building, requesting anonymity, told AFP: "He was moving from one floor to the next. I felt truly terrified." Information indicates that the perpetrator was killed on the 33rd floor of the building.

Media outlets captured a photo of the man walking into the building carrying a rifle, wearing a dark jacket and sunglasses. He appears to have acted alone, without any accomplices.

The scene outside the building was tense, with an AFP correspondent observing a heavy police presence, some armed with heavy weapons and wearing bullet-proof vests, along with ambulances and helicopters hovering overhead.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, via the X platform, urged those inside the building to "stay in place" and confirmed that the city's police were conducting a comprehensive search.

Shad Sakib, an employee in a nearby building, told AFP that they were told to stay inside their offices immediately after the shooting began. "We didn't know what was going on until we saw his picture circulating online. He was just wandering around the place where I usually have lunch," he added.

The targeted building is located just steps from Central Park, one of New York's most famous landmarks, and the attack sparked panic in the area, which is usually crowded with residents and workers.

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