A "beloved" security officer has been identified as one of the victims in the shooting at an office tower in Midtown Manhattan on Monday (July 28), per the New York Times.

46-year-old Aland Etienne, whose family is from Haiti, was working a shift in the building at 345 Park Avenue when the shooting unfolded. According to police, Etienne took cover behind a security desk in the lobby, but was later fatally shot by the gunman.

Family members and Local 32BJ, the union that represented Etienne, identified the father of two and well-respected employee of McLane Security as a victim in the shooting.

In a social media post, Etienne's sibling, Gathmand, said “he was more than a brother.”

“He was a father, a son, and a light in our lives,” the victim's brother wrote. “Our hearts are shattered.”

The Rudins, the real estate family who own the Park Avenue building, said in a statement that Etienne was a “beloved” presence in the main lobby.

Karline Jean, a former employee at the investment firm Blackstone who had worked in the building, remembered Etienne as an amiable colleague with whom she would have frequent discussions about Haitian politics and his love for his children. Jean said they had recently had conversations about his daughter, a trained ballerina who moved to the Dominican Republic because of the turmoil in Haiti.

“He was a provider,” Jean said. “He would have given his life to ensure that her education was secure. We need to remember that.”

Manny Pastreich, the president of Local 32BJ, said Etienne was a “dedicated security officer who took his job duties extremely seriously.” Local 32BJ represents roughly 90,000 New York City workers, including security guards and janitors.

“Their contributions to our city are essential, though often unappreciated,” Pastreich said in a statement. “Aland Etienne is a New York hero. We will remember him as such.”

The victim’s sister, Mabline, recalled her brother's warm and inviting smile.

“He was a great person with a great character,” the sister said. “Always happy, always smiling.”

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