Midtown Manhattan shooting: Police officer, two civilians shot in New York gunfire incident; suspect found dead

Police in New York City responded to a major shooting incident in Midtown Manhattan on Monday evening after a gunman opened fire near a corporate office building on Park Avenue. Authorities confirmed that a New York Police Department (NYPD) officer and two civilians were shot during the attack.

The suspected gunman was later found dead near a corporate office building in the area, CNN reported.According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the shooter, described as a lone gunman carrying a long rifle, is believed to be dead. The gunfire erupted at 345 Park Avenue, a 634-foot skyscraper housing major corporate offices, including those of the NFL and Blackstone. One civilian is in critical condition, while the officer shot in the back, and the second civilian are expected to survive, a law enforcement official told CNN.New York City Mayor Eric Adams urged residents to avoid the area, calling it an "active shooter investigation" in a post on X. "New Yorkers: there is an active shooter investigation taking place in Midtown right now. Please take proper safety precautions if you are in vicinity and do not go outside if you are near Park Avenue and East 51st Street," Adams wrote on X.The NYPD bomb squad and drone units were deployed, and heavily armed officers secured the scene at the height of the evening rush hour.

Videos circulating online shows a massive police response, with officers in ballistic vests and ambulances crowding the area.Police say the investigation remains active, even as the immediate threat has been contained. The motive behind the shooting has not yet been confirmed.More details awaited.