New York officer killed in Manhattan shooting remembered as hero in Bangladesh, US
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Police officer Didarul Islam was working on a paid security detail in the building when the shooting occurred.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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DHAKA – The New York police officer killed in a mass shooting at a Manhattan skyscraper on July 28 was an immigrant who left behind a pregnant wife, two young sons and distraught parents. Friends and officials in both Bangladesh and the US hailed him as a hero.
A gunman opened fire on July 28 inside a midtown office tower,
Excluding Mr Islam, a total of 42 federal, state, county, municipal, military and US territories officers have died in the line of duty in the first half of 2025, according to preliminary data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.
Mr Syed Tanjib Mujib, a childhood friend of Mr Islam from their home district in the South Asian nation of Bangladesh, said Mr Islam left for the US with his parents and other family members in 2009.
“And the way he died, it’s heartbreaking, but not surprising. That’s just the kind of person he was,” he said. “Always thinking of others, always ready to help. He died trying to save lives... Our hearts are broken, but we’re proud of him. He’ll always be remembered.”
New York Mayor Eric Adams, who met the officer’s family on the night of July 28, also described the 3½ year veteran of the police department as a hero.
“He was saving lives, he was protecting New Yorkers,” he told reporters. “He loved this city, and everyone we spoke with stated he was a person of faith and a person that believed in God.”
Mr Islam was married, had two young sons and his wife is pregnant, police commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters.
“He put himself in harm’s way. He made the ultimate sacrifice – shot in cold blood,” she said.
Mr Islam was working on a paid security detail in the building when the shooting occurred, she added.
Mr Mizanul Haque, Mr Islam’s cousin, speaking to Reuters from the district of Moulvibazar in Bangladesh, said Mr Islam visited Bangladesh in February 2024 – with his wife and their two boys, aged seven and five – and attended his wedding.
He said Mr Islam’s father suffered a stroke after hearing the news, and added that his mother has not said a word since learning of his death.
“I have no idea how to console them,” Mr Haque said. “What do you even say to a family that’s been shattered like this? All I can hope for now is justice. He didn’t deserve to die like this.”
NYPD officers waiting for the ambulance transfer of Mr Islam, who was killed during a mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan.
PHOTO: REUTERS
‘Dedicated’ guard also slain
Security workers union president Manny Pastreich identified another one of the shooting victims as security guard Aland Etienne, who was working at the skyscraper.
He described Mr Etienne as a dedicated security officer who took his job seriously.
“This tragedy speaks to the sacrifice of security officers who risk their lives every day to keep New Yorkers and our buildings safe,” his statement read. “Aland Etienne is a New York hero. We will remember him as such.”
Mr Etienne’s brother posted a tribute to the slain security guard on his Facebook page. “My family suffered a heartbreaking tragedy,” he wrote. “He was more than a brother – he was a father, a son and a light in our eyes.” REUTERS
