The D Brief: Two mass shootings; US nukes to UK?; Trump’s new deadline; Europe’s defense-AI startups; And a bit more.
Defense One10 hrs
5 Killed in Mass Shooting at Midtown Manhattan Office Tower
Above: FDNY firefighters in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York on July 28, 2025. Image copyright: Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
In this tragic mass shooting, the gunman had a documented history of mental illness, which likely influenced his actions. While the motive remains unclear, mental health issues clearly played a critical role in this horrific rampage. Paired with red flag laws and community outreach, access to mental health services are a vital tool in preventing mass shootings.
Narrative B
It's disheartening how mental health is scapegoated to suggest that system failures, not guns, are the problem. Equating mental illness with mass violence is misleading and stigmatizing. Mass shootings overwhelmingly correlate with gun access and social despair — not psychiatric diagnoses. We need policy reform, not stereotypes.
Narrative C
New York City is experiencing its lowest number of murders and gun-related injuries in recent decades, which marks an unprecedented public safety gain and reflects a sustained decline in gun violence unmatched in modern NYC history. The deadly mass shooting at 345 Park Avenue remains an exception, not the norm, against this backdrop of historic decline.