Freshly back from his vacation to Uganda, Democratic New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani dodged reporters’ questions Wednesday morning on a mass shooting that killed four, including 36-year-old NYPD officer Didarul Islam.
Mamdani, a socialist who has previously called for defunding the police and for disbanding the special unit that responds to mass shootings, met with the officer’s family Wednesday morning but avoided questions from reporters after the meeting. The candidate spent an hour with Islam’s family, according to The New York Post.
He was photographed hugging one of the deceased officer’s family members as he left.
FLASHBACK: ZOHRAN MAMDANI PLEDGED TO 'DISBAND' KEY POLICE UNIT THAT HANDLES MASS SHOOTINGS
Democratic socialist candidate Zohran Mamdani, who won the Democratic primary for mayor of New York City, speaks at an endorsement event from the union DC 37 on July 15, 2025, in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
On Monday evening a lone gunman, later identified as Shane Tamura, walked into a midtown Manhattan office building and opened fire, killing four people before turning the gun on himself.
The four people killed in the shooting were identified as Islam, Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, security guard Aland Etienne and Julia Hyman, an associate at Rudin Management.
While still in Uganda, Mamdani responded to the shooting by saying, "I’m heartbroken to learn of the horrific shooting in midtown and I am holding the victims, their families, and the NYPD officer in critical condition in my thoughts."
NYC SOCIALIST WOULD-BE MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI THROWS LAVISH WEDDING BASH IN UGANDA
The ambulance carrying the body of Didarul Islam exits NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Hospital during the dignified transfer of the slain officer, who was shot and killed by a gunman Monday evening, early Tuesday, July 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)
In light of the tragedy, however, Mamdani is getting renewed attention for a recent pledge to eliminate the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group, a key police department responsible for riots, civil disorder and shootings.
In December, Mamdani claimed that the NYPD had deployed the SRG to "harass + arrest striking @teamsters."
Mamdani pledged: "As Mayor, I will disband the SRG, which has cost taxpayers millions in lawsuit settlements + brutalized countless New Yorkers exercising their first amendment rights."
MAMDANI'S PAST 'DEFUND THE POLICE' STANCE RESURFACES AFTER DEADLY MANHATTAN SHOOTING
Candidate for New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a press conference while campaigning outside a Subway station in New York City, U.S., April 1, 2025. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (REUTERS/Brendan McDermid)
Mamdani is holding a press conference regarding the shooting on Wednesday afternoon.