After the NYC office shooting, how should a workplace protect itself to keep employees safe?

After the NYC office shooting, how should a workplace protect itself to keep employees safe?
After the NYC office shooting, how should a workplace protect itself to keep employees safe?
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — After a gunman opened fire in a New York City office building and killed four people, experts expressed some concerns regarding security in workplace environments.

Four people were killed and one was injured on Monday after police say 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura entered a Midtown Manhattan office building — which is home to the NFL headquarters — wearing body armor and opened fire with a high-powered rifle, according to authorities.

Donald Mihalek, a senior ABC News law enforcement contributor and retired United States Secret Service agent, said these types of workplace shootings are on the rise due to people — employees and those not affiliated with the company — feeling more comfortable with vilifying corporations and taking out their grievances through violence.

From 1994 to 2021, 16,497 U.S. workers were “intentionally killed while at work,” according to 2024 study. Other recent shootings that occurred at workplaces include the 2021 incident at an office complex in Southern California, killing four people, and a 2023 incident at a bank in Kentucky, killing five and injuring eight.

“Corporations are now feeling what governments have felt for many years, being targeted, being vilified,” Mihalek told ABC News.

So, what was learned from this incident and how can office buildings help mitigate these shootings from escalating?

Security outside an office building and artificial intelligence monitoring potential threats

On Monday, the suspect emerged from a double-parked BMW with an M4-style weapon Palmetto State Armory PA-15 rifle, entered the lobby alone, immediately opened fire on a New York Police Department officer and sprayed the lobby with bullets.

Richard Frankel, an ABC News contributor and retired FBI special agent, said Tamura’s ability to leave his vehicle double-parked and walk with a visible weapon “without anyone even thinking about it or causing concern” is “a little bit of an issue.”

“It’s crazy that he was able to walk on a Manhattan street into a building and not be seen carrying a long gun,” Frankel told ABC News. “How was he able to just walk with no one seeing him carrying an assault weapon and actually having it dangle out from his jacket?”

To prevent something similar happening in the future, Frankel said a corporation increasing its security presence outside the building — by establishing a private government partnership or hiring individuals — could help prevent the threat from actually entering the presence.

Frankel also said there is artificial intelligence and video technology used by federal buildings that could “observe what somebody is doing and consider whether that’s a threat or not.” If an armed individual is approaching the building, “an alarm would go off” with this technology, Frankel said.

Understanding the difference between handgun and rifle violence

With this shooting, the gunman opened fire using a rifle, which is a “more powerful weapon” that can travel a greater distance and has a greater capacity to penetrate compared to a handgun, Mihalek said.

Thus, corporations should think to make a “significant investment” in armor and bulletproof glass around the entranceways of the building, he said. While it is “very difficult” for someone to protect themselves from a rifle, a “man trap system” — where somebody has to be let through different phases of the building in order to get to the heart of the structure — could also help slow down the attack.

Conducting threat assessments

Mihalek also recommends that corporations conduct threat assessments, where a business identifies individuals — both employees and those not affiliated with the company — who may be potential threats of violence due to a recent termination, relationship turmoil or social media posts showing grievances toward the company or individuals at the company.

While it is unclear whether the suspect in Monday’s shooting was posting threats on social media, officials had found a note in his pocket accusing the National Football League of concealing the dangers to players’ brains to maximize profits, sources said. So “chances are he had some type of social media presence or online presence somewhere where he might have said a few things about the NFL,” which could have alerted of a potential threat beforehand.

This behavioral assessment is a holistic process that detects, identifies and processes potential threats, Mihalek said.

“This individual could have perhaps said something concerning online or elsewhere but if no one reports it or is looking, it can’t be detected,” Mihalek said.

Implementing active shooter drills, training for employees

Along with buildings implementing additional security and keeping a lookout for potential threats, both Mihalek and Frankel said corporations should implement routine active shooter drills and provide both online and in-person training conducted by local law enforcement.

Mihalek said buildings should also partner with local law enforcement and emergency medical services so they can “understand the layout of the building” so that they are prepared for a potential threat to that particular office space.

The Department of Homeland Security also has basic active shooter protocols instructing individuals in an active shooter situation to “run, hide and fight,” which Mihalek said is used in many schools and is “simple, effective and it works.”

ABC News’ Aaron Katersky contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Former Biden counselor Steve Ricchetti to testify before GOP-led panel amid probe into Biden’s mental fitness

Former Biden counselor Steve Ricchetti to testify before GOP-led panel amid probe into Biden’s mental fitness
Former Biden counselor Steve Ricchetti to testify before GOP-led panel amid probe into Biden’s mental fitness
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — Steve Ricchetti, who served as a counselor to former President Joe Biden, is set to appear for a closed-door interview with the Republican-led House Oversight Committee on Wednesday as its chairman, Republican Rep. James Comer, continues his investigation into the former president’s mental fitness while in office.

Ricchetti is likely to appear voluntarily. The committee did not issue a subpoena for his testimony.

The House panel has requested interviews with several former Biden officials as part of their probe into the former president’s mental capacity while in office. Ricchetti is the latest of several former Biden administration officials who have appeared before the committee.

Last week, former Chief of Staff Ron Klain cooperated with the committee for several hours.

However, several other aides have not been willing to engage with the committee and invoked the Fifth Amendment, including Dr. Kevin O’Connor, the former physician to Joe Biden, and Annie Tomasini, who served as the deputy chief of staff to Biden.

Biden himself rejected reports of cognitive decline during an appearance on ABC’s “The View” in early May.

“They are wrong. There’s nothing to sustain that,” Biden said at the time.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

8.8 magnitude earthquake latest: Volcano erupts in Russia, tsunami waves reach California

8.8 magnitude earthquake latest: Volcano erupts in Russia, tsunami waves reach California
8.8 magnitude earthquake latest: Volcano erupts in Russia, tsunami waves reach California
NOAA

(LOS ANGELES) — A massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Pacific coast, sparking tsunami warnings and evacuations of coastal areas in Hawaii and alerts along the U.S. West Coast.

Latest

In Russia, a camera captured the eruption of the Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano — the highest mountain in the region — sending hot lava down its western slope.

In the U.S., President Donald Trump on social media urged people to “STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE” and to monitor updates on the tsunami.gov online dashboard.

After the initial tsunami waves had washed ashore in Hawaii and along the West Coast on Tuesday, officials with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reduced the alert level for the Hawaiian islands to a tsunami advisory.

Gov. Josh Green told reporters early Wednesday that Hawaii had so far “not seen a wave of consequence, which is a great relief to us.” He added, “It’s kind of a blessing to not be reporting any damage,” though warned there could yet be more tsunami waves.

Tsunami waves were recorded in Monterey, California, as of 12:48 a.m., the National Weather Service said, and reached San Francisco at around 1:12 a.m. However, none had caused any significant issues.

Coastal areas of Alaska, Oregon, Washington and California remained under National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tsunami advisories as of Wednesday morning. A stretch of coastline north of Cape Mendocino, California, to the border with Oregon remained under a tsunami warning. A tsunami warning means a tsunami that could cause widespread, dangerous flooding and powerful currents is expected. A tsunami watch means a distant earthquake has occurred and a tsunami is possible.

Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines said they would resume flights on Wednesday morning after a pause due to the tsunami warnings.

Hawaii at center of initial warnings

The National Weather Service said just after 7 p.m. local time — 1 a.m. ET — that tsunami waves “were recently detected in Haleiwa.”

Just after 8:30 p.m. local time, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency said, “It’s not over yet: Initial wave impacts from the leading edge of the tsunami measured several feet at some monitoring stations, but ‘follow-up’ waves over the next several hours often are LARGER. Don’t return to evacuated areas until the Tsunami Warning is officially lifted.”

Waves of up to 4 feet were recorded off of Oahu, with no large waves reported near the Big Island.

In Hawaii, the NWS called for “urgent action” to protect lives and property.

Officials there urged residents to leave beaches and evacuate low-lying areas for higher ground or to take shelter on at least the fourth floor of a building. Sirens sounded across the Hawaii islands 10 minutes after each hour for the three hours leading up to the expected impact as a part of a statewide warning system.

Less than an hour before the waves were expected to hit, Green said officials were braced for a “significant wave” measuring 6 feet total, from peak to trough. “That means a 3-foot wave riding on the top of the ocean,” Green said.

All shores of the island are at risk because tsunami waves wrap around islands, officials said.

“The danger can continue for many hours after the initial wave as subsequent waves arrive. Tsunami heights cannot be predicted and the first wave may not be the largest,” the NWS said in an alert.

“It is not just a 3-foot wave, it is a forceful wall of water,” the governor said, adding that it’s possible such a wave could knock down utility poles and leave debris strewn in its wake.

Tsunami alerts for West Coast, around the world

In the wake of the quake, a tsunami warning was issued for part of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and Northern California, from Cape Mendocino — located about 200 miles north of California — to the Oregon border. The rest of the California coast, as well as Oregon and Washington, were under a tsunami advisory.

The U.S. territories of Guam and American Samoa were also put under a tsunami advisory, according to USGS.

The intense quake occurred about 85 miles off the east coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula with a depth of nearly 12 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded by the agency, which upgraded its magnitude from initial reports of 8.0 and 8.7.

Magnitude 6.3 and 6.9 aftershocks were also reported in the area, according to USGS.

Damage was reported in Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka region, where emergency services said 3,000 people were evacuated.

All of northern Japan was placed under a tsunami warning, with more than 2 million people evacuated.

Japan’s meteorological agency warned that a tsunami about 3 feet high was expected to reach Hokkaido.

The Japan Meteorological Agency later revised tsunami warnings to lower level advisories, but said people should still exercise caution.

In Central and South America, tsunami warnings or watches were put in place by authorities in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Colombia.

In the Pacific region, French Polynesia, Guam, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, New Caledonia, the Cook Islands, Nauru, Australia and the Philippines issued various levels of tsunami alerts, plus warnings of expected strong currents and possible flooding.

New Zealanders were advised to avoid beaches due to expected strong currents and surges.

U.S. territories in the Pacific including Johnston Atoll, Midway Island, Palmyra Island, Howland and Baker Islands, Jarvis Island and other nearby small islands were also put on alert for possible tsunami waves.

China issued tsunami alerts for Shanghai and Zhejiang regions, though those were later lifted.

ABC News’ William Gretsky, Anthony Trotter, Mireya Villarreal, Tanya Stukalova, Clark Bentson and Jessica Gorman contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

US economy grew more than expected as Trump’s tariffs took hold

US economy grew more than expected as Trump’s tariffs took hold
US economy grew more than expected as Trump’s tariffs took hold
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (R) and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer (L) held a press briefing on the outcome of weekend trade talks with China in Geneva, Switzerland on May 12, 2025. (Photo by Beyza Binnur Donmez/Anadolu via Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. economy expanded more than expected as President Donald Trump’s tariffs took hold over recent months, federal government data on Wednesday showed.

U.S. gross domestic product, or GDP, increased at a 3% annualized rate over three months ending in June. The figure marked a sharp acceleration from an annualized contraction of -0.5% over the first three months of 2025.

The reading amounted to sturdy economic growth, suggesting the economy has continued to avert a significant tariff-induced cooldown. A boost in consumer spending helped propel the economic surge, the U.S. Commerce Department said.

To some degree, however, Trump’s levies have blurred the GDP findings.

The government’s GDP formula subtracts imports in an effort to exclude foreign production from the calculation of total goods and services. Changes in the reading on this account reveal neither underlying economic weakness nor strength.

The measure of the GDP fell over the first three months of the year, largely due to a surge of imports as firms stockpiled inventory to avoid far-reaching tariffs. Conversely, a drop-off in imports over the second quarter may have inflated the second-quarter GDP figure.

The GDP growth “primarily reflected a decrease in imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP,” the U.S. Commerce Department said on Wednesday.

The U.S. economy so far has largely defied fears of a tariff-induced downturn.

The unemployment rate stands near a historically low level and job growth remains robust, though it has slowed from previous highs. Inflation has climbed over the last two months but it remains below where it stood when Trump took office.

In the months following Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, in April, consumer sentiment declined to its lowest level in years, raising concern about a possible pullback in consumer spending, which accounts for about two-thirds of economic activity.

Consumer sentiment has ticked up for two consecutive months, however, as Trump has rolled back some of his steepest tariffs. Consumer spending has proven fairly resilient.

Wednesday’s fresh GDP data arrived hours before the Federal Reserve is set to announce its latest decision on interest rates.

An overwhelming 97% of investors believe interest rates will hold steady, according to the CME FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment.

In theory, sturdy economic growth eases pressure on the Fed to lower interest rates, since consumers and businesses appear undeterred by high borrowing costs. If growth begins to slow, the Fed could seek to lower interest rates as a means of boosting economic performance.

The Fed has adopted a wait-and-see approach as it continues to observe the effects of Trump’s tariffs.

“Despite elevated uncertainty, the economy is in a solid position,” Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a press conference in Washington, D.C., last month.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

California hit with tsunami waves after massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake

8.8 magnitude earthquake latest: Volcano erupts in Russia, tsunami waves reach California
8.8 magnitude earthquake latest: Volcano erupts in Russia, tsunami waves reach California
NOAA

(LOS ANGELES) — A massive magnitude 8.8 earthquake struck off Russia’s Pacific coast on Tuesday, sparking tsunami warnings — and evacuations of coastal areas — in Hawaii and alerts all down the U.S. West Coast.

After the initial tsunami waves had washed ashore in Hawaii and along the West Coast, officials with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reduced the alert level for the Hawaiian islands to a tsunami advisory. Local officials in Oahu said just before 11 p.m. local time that evacuees who’d moved to higher ground on the island could begin returning.

Gov. Josh Green told reporters early Wednesday that Hawaii had so far “not seen a wave of consequence, which is a great relief to us.” He added, “It’s kind of a blessing to not be reporting any damage,” though warned there could yet be more tsunami waves.

“So far, though, at the moment, so good,” Green said.

Coastal areas of Alaska, Oregon, Washington and California remained under National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tsunami advisories as of Wednesday morning. A stretch of coastline north of Cape Mendocino, California, to the border with Oregon remained under a tsunami warning.

Tsunami waves were recorded in Monterey, California, as of 12:48 a.m., the National Weather Service said. Tsunami waves reached San Francisco at around 1:12 a.m.

A tsunami warning means that a tsunami that could cause widespread, dangerous flooding and powerful currents is expected. A tsunami watch means a distant earthquake has occurred and a tsunami is possible.

Hawaii at center of initial warnings
The National Weather Service had early said in a post to X just after 7 p.m. local time — 1 a.m. ET — that tsunami waves “were recently detected in Haleiwa.”

Just after 8:30 p.m. local time, the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency wrote on X, “It’s not over yet: Initial wave impacts from the leading edge of the tsunami measured several feet at some monitoring stations, but ‘follow-up’ waves over the next several hours often are LARGER. Don’t return to evacuated areas until the Tsunami Warning is officially lifted.”

Waves of up to 4 feet were recorded off of Oahu, with no large waves reported near the Big Island.

Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines said they would resume flights on Wednesday morning after a pause due to the tsunami warnings.

In a message posted on social media, President Donald Trump urged people to “STAY STRONG AND STAY SAFE” and to monitor updates on the tsunami.gov online dashboard.

In Hawaii, the NWS called for “urgent action” to protect lives and property.

Officials there urged residents to leave beaches and evacuate low-lying areas for higher ground or to take shelter on at least the fourth floor of a building. Sirens sounded across the Hawaii islands 10 minutes after each hour for the three hours leading up to the expected impact as a part of a statewide warning system.

The first tsunami waves were forecast to reach Hawaii just after 7:15 p.m. local time — or 1:15 a.m. ET. The initial waves were expected on the Kauai coast, with effects on Hawaii island about 20-30 minutes later.

Speaking at a press conference less than an hour before the waves were expected to hit, Green said — based on indications from other areas in the Pacific, the waves had already passed through — officials in Hawaii were braced for a “significant wave” measuring 6 feet total, from peak to trough. “That means a 3-foot wave riding on the top of the ocean,” Green said.

All shores of the island are at risk because tsunami waves wrap around islands, officials said.

“The danger can continue for many hours after the initial wave as subsequent waves arrive. Tsunami heights cannot be predicted and the first wave may not be the largest,” the NWS said in an alert.

“It is not just a 3-foot wave, it is a forceful wall of water,” the governor said, adding that it’s possible such a wave could knock down utility poles and leave debris strewn in its wake.

Amid earlier reports of traffic gridlock as residents evacuated the shoreline, the governor said he thought there was plenty of time for people to reach higher ground and that it appeared traffic was already easing.

In an interview with ABC Honolulu affiliate KITV, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi urged residents to move to higher ground.

“We need people to stay calm but also to act accordingly. If you can get to higher ground if you’re in a low-lying area, please do that.” He urged caution on the roads amid “bumper-to-bumper traffic” during evacuations.

Tsunami alerts for West Coast, around the world

In the wake of the quake, a tsunami warning was issued for part of Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and Northern California, from Cape Mendocino — located about 200 miles north of California — to the Oregon border. The rest of the California coast, as well as Oregon and Washington, were under a tsunami advisory.

The U.S. territories of Guam and American Samoa were also put under a tsunami advisory, according to USGS.

The intense quake occurred about 85 miles off the east coast of Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula with a depth of nearly 12 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It was one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded by the agency, which upgraded its magnitude from initial reports of 8.0 and 8.7.

Magnitude 6.3 and 6.9 aftershocks were also reported in the area, according to USGS.

Damage was reported in Russia’s far eastern Kamchatka region, where emergency services said 3,000 people were evacuated.

All of northern Japan was placed under a tsunami warning, with around 2 million people evacuated. Residents there have been told to stay away from coastal areas.

Japan’s meteorological agency warned that a tsunami about 1 meter (3 feet) high was expected to reach Hokkaido in the north around 10:00 a.m., local time, with waves arriving later in the day along parts of eastern Honshu and Kyushu in the south.

People were warned to stay away from the coast and river mouths and not to approach the water to observe.

In Central and South America, tsunami warnings or watches were put in place by authorities in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Colombia.

In the Pacific region, French Polynesia, Guam, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, New Caledonia, the Cook Islands, Nauru, Australia and the Philippines issued various levels of tsunami alerts, plus warnings of expected strong currents and possible flooding.

New Zealanders were advised to avoid beaches due to expected strong currents and surges.

U.S. territories in the Pacific including Johnston Atoll, Midway Island, Palmyra Island, Howland and Baker Islands, Jarvis Island and other nearby small islands were also put on alert for possible tsunami waves.

China issued tsunami alerts for Shanghai and Zhejiang regions, though those were later lifted.

ABC News’ Bonnie Mclean, William Gretsky, Anthony Trotter, Mireya Villarreal, Tanya Stukalova, Clark Bentson and Jessica Gorman contributed to this report.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

UK to recognize Palestinian state as Netanyahu considers annexing parts of Gaza

UK to recognize Palestinian state as Netanyahu considers annexing parts of Gaza
UK to recognize Palestinian state as Netanyahu considers annexing parts of Gaza
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday that his nation will recognize the state of Palestine at a United Nations meeting in September if Israel does not agree to a ceasefire in Gaza.

“Today, as part of this process towards peace, I can confirm the U.K. will recognize the state of Palestine by the United Nations General Assembly in September, unless the Israeli government takes substantive steps to end the appalling situation in Gaza, agree to a ceasefire and commit to a long-term sustainable peace, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution,” Starmer said at a news conference.

“This includes allowing the U.N. to restart the supply of aid and making clear that there will be no annexations in the West Bank,” he continued.

Starmer also delivered a message to “the terrorists of Hamas,” saying that “they must immediately release all of the hostages, sign up to a ceasefire, disarm, and accept that they will play no part in the government of Gaza.”

The prime minister’s office also released a written statement echoing Starmer’s comments.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that it “rejects” Starmer’s statement.

“The shift in the British government’s position at this time, following the French move and internal political pressures, constitutes a reward for Hamas and harms efforts to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and a framework for the release of hostages,” the ministry said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also reacted to Starmer’s statement, saying, “Starmer rewards Hamas’s monstrous terrorism & punishes its victims. A jihadist state on Israel’s border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW. Appeasement towards jihadist terrorists always fails. It will fail you too. It will not happen.”

French President Emmanuel Macron announced last week that France would officially recognize Palestine as a state when the U.N. meets in September, and also called for “an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and massive humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.”

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot on Tuesday applauded Starmer’s announcement.

“The United Kingdom joins today in the momentum created by France for the recognition of the State of Palestine. Together, through this pivotal decision and our combined efforts, we break the endless cycle of violence and reopen the prospect of peace in the region,” Barrot said.

At the time, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. “rejected” France’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state.

“This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th,” Rubio wrote in a statement on X.

Starmer’s statement comes on the same day that two sources familiar with the matter told ABC News that Netanyahu is considering a plan to annex territories in Gaza.

“Prime Minister Netanyahu is considering a plan to annex territories in Gaza if Hamas doesn’t agree to a ceasefire plan. This is one of several options,” a source said.

The news comes less than a week after Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, said the U.S. was cutting ceasefire talks short and bringing its negotiation team home from Doha, Qatar.

In a post on X on July 24, Witkoff said Hamas “does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith.”

 

“While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith,” Witkoff wrote, in part. “We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people of Gaza.”

Netanyahu echoed Witkoff’s statement, saying Israel was now “considering alternative options to bring our hostages home,” and blamed Hamas for the breakdown in negotiations.

“Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff got it right. Hamas is the obstacle to a hostage release deal,” Netanyahu said in a statement the day after Witkoff’s comments. “Together with our U.S. allies, we are now considering alternative options to bring our hostages home, end Hamas’s terror rule, and secure lasting peace for Israel and our region.

Officials have not yet elaborated on what are the “alternative options” to return the remaining hostages and end the war in Gaza.

In its own statement on Sunday, Hamas accused Witkoff and the Israelis of negotiating in bad faith and claimed there is no point in continuing negotiations in the current format.

“In the last round of negotiations, we achieved clear progress and largely agreed with what the mediators presented to us, especially regarding the issue of withdrawal, prisoners, and the entry of aid,” Hamas said, in part. ‘They conveyed to us positive responses from the Zionist occupation, but we were surprised to find that the occupation was withdrawing from the negotiations, and that the US President’s envoy to the Middle East, Witkoff, was in cahoots with it.”

“We clearly state: There is no point in continuing negotiations under the siege, extermination, and starvation of our children, women, and people in the Gaza Strip,” the statement continued.

The news also comes as the Israel-Hamas war reached a a grim milestone, with more than 60,000 Palestinians killed since Oct. 7, 2023, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.

As of Tuesday, 60,034 people in Gaza have been killed and 145,870 people have been injured, the ministry said.

With an estimated population of 2.3 million people in Gaza at the beginning of the war, the figure, if accurate, means that about 9% of Palestinians in Gaza have been killed or injured since then, according to an ABC News tally.

The ministry clarified that the Palestinians whom they say have died due to hunger have not been classified as “killed” in the war, but “died” due to malnourishment.

At least 147 Palestinians, including 88 children, have died due to malnutrition as of Monday, according to the ministry.

Netanyahu has repeatedly denied that there is starvation occurring in Gaza and has denied that there is an official Israeli policy of starvation.

“There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza,” Netanyahu said in comments in Jerusalem Sunday, in part.

“We enabled humanitarian aid throughout the duration of the war to enter Gaza. Otherwise, there would be no Gazans,” Netanyahu further said. “And what is interdicting the supply of humanitarian aid is one force – Hamas. Again, the reverse of the truth. Hamas robs, steals this humanitarian aid and then accuses Israel of not supplying it.”

Israeli officials have long accused Hamas of stealing aid, which Hamas denies.

A USAID analysis appeared to undercut some of the assertions about the extent to which Hamas had allegedly stolen humanitarian aid. A presentation reviewed by ABC News, examining more than 150 reported incidents involving the theft or loss of U.S.-funded humanitarian aid in Gaza, showed that he group failed to find any evidence that Hamas engaged in widespread diversion of aid to cause this amount of hunger being seen in the strip.

Additionally, a new report on Tuesday from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, a global initiative monitoring hunger, said that “the worst-case scenario of famine is playing out in the Gaza Strip,” and that “access to food and other essential items and services has plummeted to unprecedented levels.”

ABC News’ Will Gretsky contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

NYC shooting latest: Gunman mentioned CTE, appeared to target NFL

NYC shooting latest: Gunman mentioned CTE, appeared to target NFL
NYC shooting latest: Gunman mentioned CTE, appeared to target NFL
Shane Devon Tamura, 27, identified by the NYPD as the Midtown Manhattan office building shooter/Obtained by ABC News

(NEW YORK) — The man who opened fire in a Midtown Manhattan office building, killing four people and wounding a fifth, appeared to be targeting the NFL headquarters and had a note claiming he suffered from CTE, police sources told ABC News.

Shane Tamura drove across the country with a semiautomatic rifle and then carried out a mass shooting on Monday in the building that’s home to the NFL’s offices, officials said. He died by suicide in the building.

Here’s the latest on the investigation:

Mass shooting in Midtown

Once Tamura entered 345 Park Avenue, “eerie” surveillance video captured him allowing a woman to walk out of the elevator, sparing her from being shot, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.

“He allowed her to walk past him without any action at all,” Adams told CNN, but Tamura “shot one of the security guards who was behind the desk.”

At the end of the shooting rampage, Tamura died by suicide at the offices of Rudin Management, on the building’s 33rd floor, authorities said.

“It appears as though he was going after the employees at the NFL,” Adams said on FOX 5.

It appeared Tamura “took the wrong elevator bank up to the NFL headquarters,” Adams told CBS. “Instead, it took him to Rudin Management, and that is where he carried out additional shootings and took the lives of additional employees.”

Four people were killed. Three have been identified: a security guard for the building; an executive at Blackstone who was a wife and mom; and a police officer who was a dad of two with a third on the way. The fourth worked at Rudin Management but has not been named, according to the family’s wishes.

A fifth shooting victim — an NFL employee, according to Commissioner Roger Goodell — was injured and taken to the hospital in critical condition, officials said. That victim was listed in stable condition on Tuesday morning, according to a source familiar with the individual’s status.

The shooter’s note

One page of the note found in Tamura’s pocket accused the NFL of concealing the dangers to players’ brains from playing football in order to maximize profits, sources said.

A second page mentioned CTE and blamed football. A third page asked, “Study my brain please. I’m sorry,” sources said.

CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a brain disease linked to repeated hits to the head, often seen in military veterans and athletes including football players, hockey players and boxers. CTE can’t be diagnosed in a living person with certainty, but doctors may suspect it based on symptoms and history of head trauma. Symptoms include memory loss, mood changes, confusion and trouble thinking clearly.

Tamura, 27, played high school football in Los Angeles but did not play professionally. Police have found no evidence he suffered a traumatic brain injury or had CTE, sources said, and he has no known connection to the NFL. Tamura’s brain will be examined as part of his autopsy, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said.

What we know about the gunman

Tamura lived in Las Vegas where he was a surveillance department employee at the Horseshoe hotel and casino, a Horseshoe spokesperson said.

Police traced Tamura’s BMW’s movements through multiple states after it left Nevada on Saturday and entered New York on Monday, about two hours before the shooting, sources said.

Tamura had two Mental Health Crisis Holds in his background in Nevada, one in 2022 and the other in 2024, law enforcement sources said. Those holds typically allow a person to be detained for up to 72 hours if they are thought to be a danger to themselves or others. According to one source, when there is this type of hold in Nevada, officers have to transport the person to the hospital. Once that happens, medical staff take over and decide how long to hold the person.

The weapons

In Monday’s shooting, Tamura used an M4-style semiautomatic Palmetto State Armory PA-15 rifle equipped with a scope and a barrel flashlight, law enforcement sources told ABC News. In Tamura’s car at the time of the attack were a loaded Colt Python .357 caliber revolver, ammunition, medication and two cellphones, the sources said.

In June, someone at a gun show in Las Vegas called in a tip saying Tamura had purchased large amounts of ammunition and an aftermarket trigger, the sources said.

A Las Vegas police source said Tamura got his CCW, or concealed carry license, in 2022.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday issued an impassioned statement pushing for an assault weapons ban.

“New York has some of the strongest gun laws in the nation. We banned assault weapons. We strengthened our Red Flag Law. We closed dangerous loopholes,” she said, adding that “our laws only go so far” when weapons from other states are brought to New York.

“The American people are tired of thoughts and prayers,” the governor said. “Congress must summon the courage to stand up to the gun lobby and finally pass a national assault weapons ban before more innocent lives are stolen.”

Hochul has ordered flags on all state government buildings to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims.

“An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and we must confront this violence head on,” she said.

President Donald Trump wrote on social media on Tuesday that he’s been briefed “on the tragic shooting that took place in Manhattan, a place that I know and love.”

“I trust our Law Enforcement Agencies to get to the bottom of why this crazed lunatic committed such a senseless act of violence,” he wrote. “My heart is with the families of the four people who were killed, including the NYPD Officer, who made the ultimate sacrifice. God Bless the New York Police Department, and God Bless New York!”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Darren Reynolds and Liz Neporent contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Manhattan shooting suspect claimed to have CTE, mentioned NFL in note: ‘Study my brain’

NYC shooting latest: Gunman mentioned CTE, appeared to target NFL
NYC shooting latest: Gunman mentioned CTE, appeared to target NFL
Shane Devon Tamura, 27, identified by the NYPD as the Midtown Manhattan office building shooter/Obtained by ABC News

(NEW YORK) — The man who opened fire in a Midtown Manhattan office building, killing four people and wounding a fifth, had a note claiming he suffered from CTE, police sources told ABC News.

Suspect Shane Tamura died by suicide after the Monday mass shooting at 345 Park Avenue, which is home to NFL headquarters.

One page of the note found in Tamura’s pocket accused the NFL of concealing the dangers to players’ brains to maximize profits, sources said.

A second page mentioned CTE and blamed football. A third page asked, “Study my brain please. I’m sorry,” sources said.

CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a brain disease linked to repeated hits to the head, often seen in military veterans and athletes including football players, hockey players and boxers. CTE can’t be diagnosed in a living person with certainty, but doctors may suspect it based on symptoms and history of head trauma. Symptoms include memory loss, mood changes, confusion and trouble thinking clearly.

Tamura, 27, played high school football in Los Angeles but did not play professionally; police have found no evidence so far that he suffered a traumatic brain injury or had CTE, sources said. He has no known connection to the NFL.

At the end of the shooting rampage, Tamura died by suicide at the offices of Rudin Management, on the building’s 33rd floor, authorities said.

“It appears as though he was going after the employees at the NFL,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on FOX 5 on Tuesday.

“He, from our preliminary investigation, he took the wrong elevator bank up to the NFL headquarters,” Adams told CBS. “Instead, it took him to Rudin Management, and that is where he carried out additional shootings and took the lives of additional employees.”

Four people were killed. Three have been identified: a security guard for the building; an executive at Blackstone who was a wife and mom; and a police officer who was a dad of two with a third on the way.

A fifth shooting victim was injured and taken to the hospital in critical condition, officials said. That victim is out of surgery and is in stable condition on Tuesday morning, according to a source familiar with the individual’s status.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said an NFL employee was “seriously injured.”

“There will be an increased security presence at 345 Park Avenue in the days and weeks to come,” Goodell said in a statement, as he instructed New York employees to work remotely on Tuesday or take the day off.

Tamura lived in Las Vegas where he was a surveillance department employee at the Horseshoe hotel and casino, a Horseshoe spokesperson said.

Police traced Tamura’s BMW’s movements through multiple states after it left Nevada on Saturday and entered New York on Monday, about two hours before the shooting, sources said.

Tamura had two Mental Health Crisis Holds in his background in Nevada, one in 2022 and the other in 2024, law enforcement sources said. Those holds typically allow a person to be detained for up to 72 hours if they are thought to be a danger to themselves or others. According to one source, when there is this type of hold in Nevada, officers have to transport the person to the hospital. Once that happens, medical staff take over and decide how long to hold the person.

A Las Vegas police source said Tamura also got his CCW, or concealed carry license, in 2022 and also has a previous arrest for trespassing in the state.

In Monday’s shooting, Tamura used an M4-style semiautomatic Palmetto State Armory PA-15 rifle equipped with a scope and a barrel flashlight, law enforcement sources told ABC News. In Tamura’s car at the time of the attack were a loaded Colt Python .357 caliber revolver, ammunition, medication and two cellphones, the sources said.

In June, someone at a gun show in Las Vegas called in a tip saying Tamura had purchased large amounts of ammunition and an aftermarket trigger, the sources said.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul on Tuesday issued an impassioned statement pushing for an assault weapons ban.

“The killer used an AR-15-style assault rifle. The same weapon of war used in mass shootings across America,” she said in a statement. “New York has some of the strongest gun laws in the nation. We banned assault weapons. We strengthened our Red Flag Law. We closed dangerous loopholes. But our laws only go so far when an AR-15 can be obtained in a state with weak gun laws and brought into New York to commit mass murder.”

“The American people are tired of thoughts and prayers,” the governor said. “Congress must summon the courage to stand up to the gun lobby and finally pass a national assault weapons ban before more innocent lives are stolen.”

Hochul has ordered flags on all state government buildings to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims.

“An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, and we must confront this violence head on,” she said. “My heart is with our neighbors in Manhattan, the victims and their families — as well as the brave men and women of the NYPD.”

President Donald Trump wrote on social media on Tuesday that he’s been briefed “on the tragic shooting that took place in Manhattan, a place that I know and love.”

“I trust our Law Enforcement Agencies to get to the bottom of why this crazed lunatic committed such a senseless act of violence,” he wrote. “My heart is with the families of the four people who were killed, including the NYPD Officer, who made the ultimate sacrifice. God Bless the New York Police Department, and God Bless New York!”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Darren Reynolds and Liz Neporent contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Manhattan shooting victims: What we know about those killed

Manhattan shooting victims: What we know about those killed
Manhattan shooting victims: What we know about those killed
Wesley LePatner in New York City, Jan. 13, 2019./Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

(NEW YORK) — Four people were killed and a fifth was injured in a mass shooting at a Midtown Manhattan office building on Monday.

Among those killed was an officer who was a dad of two with a third on the way.

Here’s what we know about the victims:

Didarul Islam

Didarul Islam was an off-duty New York Police officer assigned to a Bronx precinct, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.

He was already a father of two and his wife is pregnant, officials said.

“Police Officer Didarul Islam represented the very best of our department. He was protecting New Yorkers from danger when his life was tragically cut short today,” the NYPD said.

“We join in prayer during this time of incomprehensible pain. We will forever honor his legacy,” NYPD’s statement continued.

An immigrant from Bangladesh, the 36-year-old was on the force for over three years, Adams said.

“He loved this city, and everyone we spoke with stated he was a person of faith and a person that believed in God and believed in living out the life of a godly person. He embodies what the city is all about,” Adams said at a news conference.

Wesley LePatner

Blackstone employee Wesley LePatner was also killed, the company said in a statement.

She was the global head of Core+ Real Estate and the chief executive officer of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust.

“Words cannot express the devastation we feel. Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed,” Blackstone said in a statement. “She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond.”

“Our prayers are with her husband, children and family,” the company said. “We are also saddened by the loss of the other innocent victims as well, including brave security personnel and NYPD.”

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Darren Reynolds contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Heavy rain leaves dozens dead in Beijing, state media reports

Heavy rain leaves dozens dead in Beijing, state media reports
Heavy rain leaves dozens dead in Beijing, state media reports
Wang Zicheng/VCG via Getty Images

(BEIJING) — Heavy rains and flooding have killed at least 30 people in Beijing, after a year’s worth of rain fell in less than a week, according to state media.

Beijing authorities said they have relocated a further 80,000 residents as rain continues.

Eight people were also killed in the neighboring Hebei Province, after a landslide struck a rural village, with four others still missing, according to state media. Officials said that all residents of the affected village will be relocated as a safety precaution.

The storms dropped more than 6 inches of rain on average across Beijing by midnight Tuesday, with two other towns recording as much as 21 inches of precipitation, according to the Beijing Meteorological Observatory. This has come following a summer of extreme weather across China, with record heat waves in the east and heavy flooding in the southwest.

Districts across China have been evacuated, with state media reporting that in Beijing’s Mentougou District about 15,000 people have been evacuated, with all major tourist sites closed. In the Pinggu District, more than 12,800 people have been relocated, with authorities setting up 40 emergency shelters in gyms, schools, hotels and village offices, officials told state media.

State media reported that 34 teams, involving over 1,000 personnel have been deployed for flood response in the Pinggu region, which is about 44 miles northeast of Beijing.

In response to the disaster, President Xi Jinping urged all-out efforts to ensure the safety of residents and property, saying: “Emergency response must be activated and carried out at the earliest possible moment to fully protect people’s lives and property.”

The Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Emergency Management on Tuesday allocated 350 million yuan, or about $47 million, in central government disaster relief funds to nine provincial-level regions.

The rainstorm alert in the capital was cancelled Tuesday as the rain shifted eastward, although the city remains on its highest level of flood control emergency response, according to state media. Showers were still forecast through the afternoon and into the evening.

Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.