By: Brian Evans
On July 28, 2025, horror unfolded in the heart of Midtown Manhattan when Shane Tamura opened fire inside 345 Park Avenue—home to corporate giants like the NFL and Blackstone. According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the gunman was armed with an M4 assault rifle—a military-grade weapon that is completely illegal for civilian use in the United States, and especially banned under New York City’s strict gun laws.
Five innocent lives were lost, including a courageous NYPD officer. Several others were injured.
As chilling details emerge, there are unconfirmed reports that the shooter shouted “Free Palestine!” during the attack—raising the possibility that the incident may have involved political or ideological extremism, though authorities have not officially confirmed the motive.
Once again, this massacre serves as a painful reminder that gun control laws do not stop criminals—they only disarm law-abiding citizens, giving violent offenders the upper hand and innocent people no means to defend themselves.
The M4: A Military Weapon Illegal in Civilian Hands
The weapon used in this massacre was not a hunting rifle or sporting gun. It was an M4 assault rifle—the very type issued to U.S. soldiers. It is select-fire capable, meaning it can operate in semi-automatic, burst, or full-auto modes, depending on configuration.
Under federal law, civilian ownership of true M4 rifles is banned unless purchased before 1986 under strict registration and regulation. New York City law goes even further, banning all assault weapons—especially any model associated with military use.
In short: Tamura’s weapon was completely illegal in New York City, yet he obtained it, transported it, and used it to commit mass murder.
Mental Health Laws and Red Flag Safeguards Failed—Again
Federal and New York State laws prohibit firearm possession for individuals with serious mental health histories. New York even has a Red Flag Law (Extreme Risk Protection Order) allowing courts to confiscate firearms from individuals considered a danger.
Yet in this case:
Tamura had a known mental health history, but we don’t yet know if it was reported to national databases.
No red flag order was filed.
Despite all the laws on the books, he obtained a military-grade weapon and entered one of the most tightly regulated cities in America to carry out his attack.
The system failed at every level.
Gun Control Didn’t Stop the Killer—It Just Made His Victims Vulnerable
New York’s gun laws are some of the toughest in the country. Carry permits are nearly impossible to obtain. Military-style weapons are banned. Magazines are restricted. And every legal gun owner must be licensed, background-checked, and registered.
But none of that stopped Shane Tamura.
He didn’t care about the law. He didn’t file for a permit. He didn’t register his weapon. And he may have been driven by ideological hatred, reportedly yelling “Free Palestine!” as he unleashed terror on innocent Americans.
Meanwhile, every single person in that building—employees, visitors, civilians—was unarmed. They followed the law. He didn’t.
Disarming the Innocent Empowers the Dangerous
This tragedy joins a long list of mass shootings—Uvalde, Parkland, Buffalo, and now Manhattan—where known threats slipped through every legal safeguard, and still obtained deadly weapons.
Gun control advocates insist that more laws will keep us safer. But this case proves the opposite: When only the criminals are armed, everyone else becomes a soft target.
Had even one responsible, trained, armed civilian or security officer been able to respond immediately, lives could have been saved. Instead, New York’s anti-gun laws ensured that only the terrorist had the means to use force.
Even more concerning… New York City is in serious trouble. NYC Mayor Eric Adams (D-NY) has spent more time focusing on disarming law-abiding residents than addressing the growing threats to public safety—leaving everyday New Yorkers vulnerable and defenseless. While criminals and radicals roam freely, Adams is busy pushing DEI-driven political agendas instead of backing real law enforcement solutions. Even more alarming is the rise of Marxist Anti-Semitic NYC Mayoral Candidate Zohran Kwame Mamdani (D-NY), a far-left candidate for mayor who openly supports defunding the police—an idea that would cripple NYC’s ability to prevent crime and respond to acts of terror. With violent crime rising and the city’s leadership more concerned with ideology than security, it’s only a matter of time before New York becomes the target of an even more devastating terrorist attack.
Conclusion: The System Protects No One if Only the Lawful Obey It
Shane Tamura’s alleged use of an illegal M4 assault rifle, combined with a possible ideological motive, shows just how ineffective gun control laws really are. These laws do not stop determined killers. They merely strip away the right of self-defense from decent, law-abiding Americans.
We cannot continue to pretend that the law will protect us while we deny citizens the ability to protect themselves.
If we want real safety, we must stop disarming the innocent and start holding the guilty accountable—before they strike, not after.
Thankfully we have President Donald J. Trump and The White House Administration fighting to protect our 2nd Amendment Rights!
Sources
NYPD confirms M4 rifle used in shooting:
Overview of New York City gun laws:
Brian Evans for Joplin 