MW Why a California law to protect office workers could resonate nationally after the NYC shooting

By Charles Passy

Some safety experts are saying new legislative initiatives are needed in other states following the deadly Midtown Manhattan incident

In light of the shooting in New York City on Monday in which a man killed four people, some safety and workplace experts are saying it's time to consider legislation aimed at protecting office workers.

And many are pointing to a recently enacted law in California as an example of what other states might consider.

The shooting occurred at a building in Midtown Manhattan that houses offices of the National Football League and alternative-asset manager Blackstone, among other companies and entities. The shooter, identified as 27-year-old Las Vegas resident Shane Tamura, was said to have been targeting the NFL. His violent spree resulted in the deaths of Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, New York City police officer Didarul Islam, a security guard, and an employee of building owner Rudin Management. A fifth person, an employee of the NFL, was critically injured, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Tamura died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot to the chest.

It's unclear what safety protocols were in place in the building, located at 345 Park Avenue. Rudin Management didn't respond immediately to a MarketWatch request for comment.

In California, a 2023 law recently went into effect that requires all employers in the state to put in place safeguards against workplace violence and to develop a violence-prevention plan and provide annual employee training pertaining to the plan.

It's a step in the right direction, safety experts say, and one that should be embraced nationwide.

"Having a training requirement and having a plan can go a long way," Bailey Whitsitt, an attorney with Traliant, a company that focuses on human-resource issues, told MarketWatch.

Brad Hoylman-Sigal, a New York state senator who represents parts of New York City, said similar legislation would be a good idea in his state.

"I think that should certainly be on the table," Hoylman-Sigal said, adding that federal gun-safety laws and protocols must also be strongly considered.

Hoylman-Sigal was a co-sponsor of statewide legislation aimed at preventing violence in retail settings that recently went into effect. It is limited to stores, however, and doesn't cover workplaces in general.

Experts say the California legislation has its limits and doesn't necessarily cover in detail some things that potentially could have stopped the shooter in Monday's attack in New York City. These could include having a certain number of armed guards in place and limiting access to an office building - and even to elevators - via a number of barriers.

At the same time, some plan is better than no plan, experts note.

One reason individual states might not jump on the bandwagon, meanwhile, has to do with the costs that employers will bear should such legislation be passed, experts say. An unfunded mandate may be a tough sell.

"There's absolutely room for legislation that looks at this, but it can't be knee-jerk, and there has to be some funding considerations," said Brittney Blair, a former director of intelligence operations at the Cook County Sheriff's Office in Chicago and a senior director at K2 Integrity, which advises companies on security.

Even if state and local legislatures don't step in, companies should consider beefing up their security, say experts. They note that in the event of a situation like the one Monday in New York City, businesses can be held liable for not taking the proper safety precautions - and it could cost them far more as a result.

"It absolutely saves money in the long run," said Joshua Sullivan, an instructor with Alive Active Shooter Response Training, a company that specializes in corporate and individual security.

-Charles Passy

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July 29, 2025 22:19 ET (02:19 GMT)

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