NEW YORK — Julia Hyman, a 27-year-old Cornell University graduate, was among four people killed in a mass shooting at a Midtown Manhattan office building on Monday, July 28, 2025. The attack left a New York City police officer, a security guard, and a Blackstone executive dead, with one NFL employee seriously injured.
Hyman, a Manhattan native, worked as an associate at Rudin Management, the real estate firm that owns the building. She was on the 33rd floor when the gunman, identified as Shane Devon Tamura, 27, from Las Vegas, opened fire before taking his own life. Authorities believe Tamura intended to target the NFL’s offices in the same building but mistakenly took an elevator to Rudin’s floor. A note found in his wallet indicated he blamed the NFL for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain condition he claimed to suffer from due to his history as a high school football player.
Hyman graduated summa cum laude from Cornell’s Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration in 2020, majoring in hotel and restaurant administration with a minor in real estate. She earned Dean’s List honors in six of her eight semesters and was remembered as an “extraordinary student” whose academic achievements and curiosity left a lasting impression. She had worked at Rudin Management for nine months, having joined in November 2024, and recently attended her five-year college reunion.
A graduate of Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, Hyman was a varsity athlete, captaining the soccer, swimming, and lacrosse teams her senior year. She received the school’s Founders Award for outstanding leadership, sportsmanship, and dedication. Friends and colleagues described her as a vibrant leader with a “heart of gold,” known for her bright smile, infectious laugh, and commitment to community.
The other victims included NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, 36, a Bangladeshi immigrant and father of two with a third child on the way, who was killed in the building’s lobby while working a security detail; Aland Etienne, 46, a security guard hailed as a “New York hero” by his union; and Wesley LePatner, 43, a senior Blackstone executive and mother of two. An NFL employee, Craig Clementi, was wounded but is expected to survive.
Tamura, a licensed private investigator with a history of mental health issues, used an AR-15-style rifle in the attack. The New York City medical examiner will examine his brain for signs of CTE as part of the autopsy. Police recovered a three-page suicide note expressing grievances against the NFL.
A funeral for Hyman was held Wednesday, where her uncle described her as a “luminous” young woman full of promise and passion. A vigil in Bryant Park drew crowds to honor the victims, with New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch calling for their memories to be a blessing. Mayor Eric Adams noted the city’s resolve to stand together in the face of such violence. Flags across New York are flying at half-staff in tribute.
The NYPD has sent investigators to Las Vegas to explore Tamura’s motives further, and the building remains closed as the investigation continues.
Sources:
- Julia Hyman, Rudin Employee Killed in NYC Shooting, Recalled for Her ‘Light’ - The New York Times, July 29, 2025
- Cornell Graduate Julia Hyman Killed in N.Y.C. Shooting After Gunman Got in Wrong Elevator - People, July 29, 2025
- Who was Julia Hyman? Employee killed by Shane Tamura in NYC shooting identified as Cornell grad - Hindustan Times, July 29, 2025
- SECOND Jewish victim of NYC office shooting named as 27-year-old Julia Hyman - Jewish News, July 30, 2025
- Statement on the tragic loss of Julia Hyman ’20 - Cornell University, July 29, 2025
- MIDTOWN MASS SHOOTING: Rudin Management associate Julia Hyman among dead - amNewYork, July 29, 2025
- Property worker Julia Hyman named as latest victim of NYC massacre after gunman took elevator to her floor by mistake - Daily Mail Online, July 29, 2025
- Cornell grad Julia Hyman, 27, killed in NYC shooting: ‘An extraordinary student’ - syracuse.com, July 30, 2025
- Funeral held for NYC office shooting victim Julia Hyman, prayer service planned for NYPD officer - CBS New York, July 30, 2025
- 345 Park Avenue NYC shooting: What we know about the victims - ABC7 New York, July 29, 2025
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