At Least 3 Shot, Including Officer, in Lobby of Office Building Housing BlackRock and NFL Headquarters

Another tragic headline out of New York City—six people shot, including two police officers, in the heart of midtown Manhattan. FOX News now confirms that one of those officers has died. This violent incident took place Monday evening around 6:30 p.m. in the lobby of a high-profile building that houses BlackRock and NFL headquarters.

Initial reports indicated three victims, but the numbers have since risen. The suspect, who authorities say was armed with an “assault-style” rifle, allegedly “turned the gun on himself” after the attack, according to the New York Post. His death at the scene closed one chapter but opened deeper questions that many Americans are already asking.

NBC New York notes that the shooter used a weapon banned under state law—raising obvious concerns about the real-world effectiveness of New York’s highly publicized gun restrictions. This is the same state that Everytown for Gun Safety, Michael Bloomberg’s gun control group, ranks No. 4 in the nation for strict firearm regulations. Those rules include bans on so-called “assault weapons,” high-capacity magazines, bump stocks, and even expansive red flag laws.

In theory, this kind of crime shouldn’t happen here. But theory doesn’t protect lives—common sense and effective deterrence do. Unfortunately, what Monday’s violence illustrates is what many already understand: criminals don’t follow laws, and piling more rules on law-abiding citizens doesn’t stop those intent on doing harm.

When bad actors are determined to carry out violence, signs on a wall and policy press releases from Albany won’t save lives. What might? Ensuring police are properly equipped, criminals face real consequences, and the law-abiding aren’t rendered defenseless by bureaucrats who mistake symbolism for solutions.

As the facts continue to emerge, one thing is already clear: those who claim that more laws automatically equal more safety owe the public a serious explanation. In the real world, their logic is being tested—and it’s failing right before our eyes.