Bronx street renamed for NYPD detective killed in Midtown office shooting

A street renaming was held Saturday in the Bronx to honor Det. Didarul Islam, the New York City Police officer who was killed in a Midtown office shooting last year.

The 36-year-old Bangladeshi immigrant and father of three was working a private security job at 345 Park Ave. on July 28, 2025, when a gunman walked into the lobby with a high-powered rifle and opened fire.

Islam and three others were killed, and the gunman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Islam was posthumously promoted from officer to detective first grade.

"It was a calling"

A portion of East 172nd Street is now forever marked as "Detective First Grade Didarul Islam Way."

"He was a police officer every command officer hopes for. The one who mentored the new guy, who stayed late to help the neighbor, who never had to be asked twice," said Islam's commanding officer, Muhammad Ashraf. "For Didar, this job was never just a job. It was a calling."

"This street will now bear the name of a man who made New York his home and gave his life protecting it," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

The street sign hangs at the corner of Beach Avenue, where Islam lived with his family.

"A person that was helpful, cheerful"

Islam's brother-in-law Zamilur Rahman says the past year has been marked with grief and constant reminders of Islam's optimism, helpfulness and smile.

"Hopefully everybody from the community and New York City remembers him the way we remember him, as a person that was helpful, cheerful," Rahman said.

Islam's wife, Jamila Islam, was pregnant at the time of his death. She gave birth to their son Ahram just weeks later. He is now 11 months old.

"It's still devastating, especially for the kids," Rahman said. "His kids, they're still wondering, the youngest one is still wondering when his dad is coming."

Rahman had a message to the man whose presence, he says, is still deeply felt.

"We just miss you. It's just, it's just so surreal even to imagine what we went through a year ago," he said.

Islam's family says his oldest son, 8-year-old Ahyan, is already expressing interest in a career in public service, either as a police officer or in the armed forces.