Police officer killed, two people wounded by gunman in New York City office building

New York: At least three people, including a police officer, were shot in a midtown New York City office building that houses some of the country’s top financial firms and the National Football League.

CNN and The New York Times reported the police officer had been killed, citing law enforcement officials.

The man believed to be the gunman walking into the building in New York City.Credit: CNN

The city’s fire department said emergency crews were called to the Park Avenue office building Monday evening for a report of someone shot. A spokesperson said the call came in about 6:30pm New York time (8.30am AEST), but provided no other details.

The shooting happened outside 345 Park Avenue, which is the building that contains Blackstone and the NFL headquarters. The building was placed under a lockdown.

CNN shared an image of the man they believe to be the gunman walking into the building wearing dark sunglasses and a dark-coloured jacket, carrying a military-style firearm. It said the image had been shared by law enforcement.

US news channel ABC reported the suspect had killed himself on the 33rd floor of the building, citing police sources.

Pedestrians walk by police tape after the shooting.Credit: AP

New York City police commissioner Jessica Tisch posted on X: “At this time, the scene has been contained and the lone shooter has been neutralised.”

The conditions of the two civilian victims were immediately known, though the New York Post reported they were in critical condition.

The New York Post, citing unnamed police sources, reported that a gunman wearing a bullet-resistant vest and carrying an AR-style rifle opened fire inside the skyscraper, wounding a police officer and a bystander.

The scene on the corner of Lexington Avenue and 53rd Street, near 345 Park Avenue.Credit: AP

The gunman, the Post reported, had barricaded himself inside the office tower.

Local TV footage showed lines of people evacuating the office building with their hands above their heads. The building also includes the offices of Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan and consulate general of Ireland.

There was large police presence in the area, according to media footage. Police provided no additional information.

Earlier, New York Mayor Eric Adams posted on social media that there was an “active shooter investigation” and urged people to stay indoors and take safety precautions if they’re in the area.

In a subsequent post, he confirmed the suspected shooter was dead and that people had been shot and injured.

Adams said police were searching the building. “If you are in the building, please stay where you are,” he said.

The city’s emergency management alert system warned of traffic delays, road closures and disruptions to public transportation in the area.

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a social media post that agents and other bureau personnel were responding to provide support to what he said was an “active crime scene”.

In a separate incident in Reno, Nevada, on Monday, a gunman opened fire outside the city’s largest casino killing three people and wounding three others before police shot the suspect and arrested him, officials said.

The suspect had no known connection to the victims, and it was unclear if he was a guest or an employee at the Grand Sierra Resort, one of Reno’s most prominent venues that has hosted concerts, sporting events and a campaign rally by President Donald Trump before the 2024 election.

The town – near the California border and just northeast of Lake Tahoe – is a popular summer tourist destination.

Police were still trying to determine a motive for the shooting.

Two victims were in critical condition, while one was treated and released from the hospital, said Chris Crawforth, the police chief of the neighbouring town of Sparks whose department is leading the investigation.

AP, Reuters

More to come

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