In a harrowing encounter, Sebije Nelovic, a cleaner in a Manhattan office building, recounted her terrifying experience with Shane Devon Tamura, the individual accused of a deadly shooting spree.
As reported in a statement shared with the Daily Caller, Nelovic came face-to-face with Tamura, who is alleged to have opened fire on multiple individuals, including an off-duty officer from the New York Police Department.
Authorities have identified Tamura as the suspect responsible for the tragic events that unfolded on Monday, resulting in the shooting of four people. According to the 32BJ Service Employees International Union, Nelovic was on duty when she heard noises resembling "firecrackers."
Curious and concerned, she ventured out of the office she was cleaning, only to witness the glass door near the reception area on the 33rd floor trembling ominously. It started falling down boom. And this guy came in the middle of the door, and pointed his gun at me, Nelovic recounted.
As reported by the Daily Caller, Tamura allegedly discharged his weapon in her vicinity, prompting Nelovic to raise her hands in surrender. Im the cleaning lady, Im the cleaning lady, she recalled pleading with the gunman. Her realization that he wielded a machine gun left her with the chilling understanding that he was intent on shooting regardless of her pleas.
In the ensuing chaos, Nelovic sought refuge in a nearby closet, where she began to pray. I started praying, she remembered, as she heard commotion echoing down the hallway. She alleged that Tamura fired at the closet door as he moved through the building.
Her thoughts turned to Julia Hyman, a 27-year-old associate at Rubin Management, whom she knew often worked late. I knew she was at her desk, and I thought, God, help her, Nelovic recalled. Tragically, Hyman was reportedly shot and killed after leaving a panic room, as noted by Fox Business.
Nelovic's supervisor reached out to her via text and calls, advising her to remain hidden in the closet. Concerned that her phone might betray her location, she turned it off and remained in hiding for what felt like two to three hours. It was only upon returning to her home in Queens and turning on the news that she learned of Hyman's death.
[T]hanks to God, Im okay, Nelovic expressed, reflecting on her narrow escape. Having served as a cleaner in the building for 27 years, Nelovic's ordeal underscores the unpredictable dangers faced even in familiar environments.
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