Funeral services were held Saturday morning in Canarsie, Brooklyn, for 46-year-old Aland Etienne.
In a statement, Etienne's brother, Smith Etienne, reflected on his sibling's bravery and heroism during the shooting.
"Aland made the ultimate sacrifice, choosing bravery and selflessness over fear. In his final moments, he acted to protect others. Aland's heroism was not only evident in his final act of bravery-it was woven into the fabric of his everyday life. He didn't seek attention or praise. He simply showed up-for his family, for his colleagues, and for everyone who depended on him. His courage on July 28th was simply a reflection of the man he had always been," his brother said.
The 46-year-old, whose family is from Haiti, was working a shift in the building at 345 Park Ave. last week when a shooter, later identified as Shane Tamura, burst into the lobby. Police say Etienne ducked behind a security desk to take cover, but as the gunman approached an elevator, he fatally shot him.
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The Midtown mass shooting claimed the lives of three other people, including off-duty NYPD officer Didarul Islam, mother and Blackstone employee Wesley LePatner, and 27-year-old Rudin Property Management associate Julia Hyman. A 41-year-old National Football League employee working inside the building was also wounded during the shooting.
On Monday, the lobby of 345 Park Avenue reopened a week after the deadly shooting.
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345 Park Avenue lobby reopens for first time since mass shooting
Following the shooting, 32BJ SEIU President Manny Pastreich identified Etienne as a dedicated security officer who "took his job duties extremely seriously," and will be remembered as a hero.
According to his obituary, Etienne immigrated to the U.S. in 2017 with a dream to create a better life for his family. He found purpose and pride in his work as a security officer at 345 Park Avenue and also as an active member of the 32BJ SEIU union.
Beyond work, Etienne was a dreamer and storyteller, and at one point aspired to become a filmmaker. His younger brother Smith now honors that passion and legacy through his own work in cinema.
Etienne was also a proud father of four, a grandfather, sibling to his sister and four brothers, and husband to his life partner Rachelle.
"Though Aland's time with us was tragically brief, his legacy will live on - in his children's lives, in the hearts of his family, and in the lives he saved. He walks beside us now, a guardian in spirit, guiding with the same quiet strength that defined his life" the obituary said.
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