Officer killed in Midtown Manhattan shooting was 'inspired' to join force after moving to US
Didarul Islam was killed along with three others in the mass shooting.
NEW YORK -- Twelve years after moving to the United States from Bangladesh, Didarul Islam sought to join the ranks of the nation's largest police department because he "got inspired" by the "blanket" of protection the NYPD provided to his community, according to an essay he wrote as part of his police academy application.
Islam, 36, was one of four people killed in the July 28 mass shooting in an office building in Midtown Manhattan.
"I have been living in this country for the last 12 years, and since my very first day, I have seen NYPD officers create a huge positive impact for the community, and in our community, the crime rate is going down because of the NYPD officers' hard work," Islam wrote in his essay, a copy of which was obtained by ABC News.
The essay continued, "NYPD officers work as a blanket of my community, and I got inspired by their hard work. I decided to be part of the NYPD family and contribute myself to the good work to keep our community as well as our country safe."
Islam, who was posthumously promoted to detective first grade after the shooting, moved to New York at the age of 20. He joined the NYPD as a school safety agent in 2019 before he became an officer two years later.
Islam was the first person shot and killed when Shane Tamura entered 345 Park Avenue just before 6:27 p.m. on July 28 and opened fire in the lobby, according to police.
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Tamura then shot and wounded an NFL employee, before fatally shooting Wesley LePatner, a senior managing director at Blackstone, and 46-year-old security guard Aland Etienne.
The gunman ended up on the 33rd floor at about 6:28 p.m., after detectives believe he went looking for the NFL offices and entered the wrong elevator.
Julia Hyman, 27, was the last person shot and killed before Tamura killed himself approximately four minutes after arriving on the 33rd floor.
All told, police said Tamura fired 47 rounds and the entire attack lasted about six minutes.
Islam is survived by his wife, who is eight months pregnant, and two young sons.
A statement read on behalf of Islam's wife said, "My husband was a man of faith, integrity and service."
"Though my heart is broken, I find comfort knowing that his sacrifice may have saved others in that lobby -- people who were able to go home to their families that day," she said.
