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Grieving family sues Park Ave building owner for ‘myriad security failures’ leading to daughter’s mass shooting death
The parents of Julia Hyman, who was killed in a 2025 shooting at a Midtown Manhattan office tower, have sued the building’s owner and security firms. Their wrongful-death claim argues that failures in security and emergency response contributed to her death and calls for accountability.
The lawsuit alleges there was no effective system to alert occupants to an emergency and that the lifts were not locked down. The gunman, Shane Tamura, entered the 44-storey building intending to reach the NFL’s offices on the fifth floor, but took a lift to the 33rd, where Hyman worked. He killed Hyman and three other people; the family is also considering a separate claim against New York City.
In short
- Julia Hyman’s parents have sued the Park Avenue tower’s owner and security firms.
- The claim alleges failures in emergency alerts and lift lockdowns.
- The family is also considering legal action against New York City.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The family can argue that a building owner and its security contractors have a duty to take reasonable steps to protect occupants and respond to foreseeable emergencies. If warnings, access controls or lift procedures were inadequate, those failures may have increased the danger and warrant accountability, both for the family and to improve safety in similar buildings.
The case against
The owner and security firms can argue that responsibility for a deliberate mass shooting rests primarily with the gunman, and that security duties do not amount to a guarantee against every attack. They may also dispute whether the alleged failures breached reasonable standards or made a difference to the outcome, especially given the speed and unpredictability of the events.
Explained simply
Julia Hyman was one of four people killed in a 2025 shooting at a 44-storey office building in Midtown Manhattan. The gunman, Shane Tamura, entered intending to reach the NFL’s offices on the fifth floor, but took a lift to the 33rd floor, where Hyman worked.
Hyman’s parents have brought a wrongful-death claim against the building’s owner and security firms. They allege that security and emergency-response failures, including a lack of effective alerts and lifts that were not locked down, contributed to her death.
The case concerns who may be responsible for safety measures in a multi-tenant office building and how occupants should be warned during an emergency. The family is also considering a separate claim against New York City.