The recent shooting at a Midtown office building on Park Avenue has cast a long shadow over notions of safety within New York City's commercial spaces. On Monday, Las Vegas resident Shane Tamura entered 345 Park Ave.—an address that includes offices for the National Football League and Blackstone—and fatally shot two security figures before turning the weapon on civilians, killing two and injuring another, before ending his own life, according to Gothamist.
While office workers were informed of increased security measures and reminded of active shooter protocols—the use of office furniture as barricades was recommended in communications following the events—unsettling questions about workplace safety persist. "There's a general thought process of – is this safe? Is it OK? But you know, we gotta work, so we're here. That's pretty much it," Jason McPherson, an office worker, told CBS News in a statement that captures the prevailing sentiment among those returning to work post-tragedy.
Experts in the security sector, however, find the challenge of ensuring safety in such high-traffic environments both complex and ongoing. "There isn’t any one measure that you can just check the box and feel as if your facility is being protected," Brian Higgins of Group 77 told Gothamist, emphasizing that multiple layers of security are necessary. Meanwhile, Anthony Roman, CEO of A.C. Roman and Associates, pointed out advancements in technology, including infrared metal detectors and artificial intelligence, that could help detect threats sooner.
While the presence of robust security at 345 Park Ave., including bullet-resistant doors in bathrooms functioning as safe rooms, was acknowledged by Mayor Eric Adams in an interview with "CBS Mornings," it is argued by Don Aviv that stopping a determined attacker proves challenging. "No one technology will save the day. It's the entirety of a program. You have to look at everything from soup to nuts. What are the threats against the organization? What technology would best mitigate those threats?" Aviv told CBS News.
The NYPD has responded by deploying additional officers to high-profile and commercial areas in the city's immediate aftermath of the shooting.
