The Southeast Asian community of Queens was shaken by the cold-blooded murder of NYPD Police Officer Didarul Islam, a Bangladeshi immigrant who was gunned down by a lone gunman during a mass shooting at a Midtown Manhattan office tower on Monday evening.
He leaves behind two young sons and his wife, who is pregnant with their third child, and though he worked and lived in the Bronx, his death reverberated across Queens, which is home to more than 70% of the Bangladeshi population in New York City, according to the Asian American Federation.
“The Bangladeshi American community is tight-knit across New York City—from Jamaica to Ozone Park to Parkchester—and we are collectively devastated by the tragic loss of Officer Didanul Islam,” Queens Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar said Tuesday.
Islam, 36, was working an off-duty security detail inside 345 Park Ave. when the gunman, identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura of Las Vegas, stormed into the building and opened fire with an assault rifle, killing Islam and three others in a hail of bullets
“He was doing the job that we asked him to do. He put himself in harm’s way; he made the ultimate sacrifice,” Tisch said, “Shot in cold blood and wearing a uniform that stood for the promise that he made to this city. He died as he lived: a hero.”
Rajkumar, who made history in 2021 when she became the first South Asian-American woman ever elected to a New York State office, agreed with the police commissioner.
“He embodied the very best of our community: a true hero who loved this country, this city, and dedicated his life to serving and protecting others,” she said.
The slain officer was saluted by his colleagues during a dignified transfer ceremony from the hospital to the Chief Medical Examiner overnight early Tuesday morning. Mayor Eric Adams said that Islam became the first Bangladeshi NYPD police officer to be lost in the line of duty. He was on the job for three and a half years and was assigned to the 47th Precinct in the Baychester section of the Bronx. Islam was wearing his uniform, a bullet-resistant vest, and he was carrying his service weapon when he was shot and killed.
“Our focus now is on supporting his grieving family—including his pregnant wife, two young children, and parents—and honoring his extraordinary life of service,” Rajkumar said. “His memory will forever be a source of pride and strength for us all.”
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams echoed that sentiment on Monday night.
“I extend my solemn condolences to the loved ones of those murdered in tonight’s horrific Midtown Manhattan shooting, including NYPD Officer Islam and several other New Yorkers,” Adams said. “My heart is with the victims’ loved ones, all those affected by this traumatic incident, and the entire NYPD family, and I pray for the recovery of the injured.”
The motive for the mass shooting remains under investigation. Tamura turned the weapon on himself, ending the deadliest gun attack in New York City in more than a quarter century.
“This horrible act leaves us angry to once again mourn yet another display of senseless gun violence that has repeatedly harmed our city and the entire nation,” Adams continued. “We are grateful for the first responders who rushed to tonight’s devastating scene. Our city is mourning, and we are united in heartfelt grief for the tragic loss of precious lives.”
