A tragic shooting in Manhattan that left four people dead Monday was fueled by the gunman’s grievance against the National Football League (NFL) over brain injuries, authorities revealed Tuesday.
Shane Tamura, a 27-year-old Las Vegas casino worker, entered a high-rise office building in Midtown Manhattan with the apparent intention of reaching the NFL’s headquarters. However, investigators say Tamura mistakenly took the wrong set of elevator banks after opening fire in the building’s lobby, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
Among the victims was Didarul Islam, an off-duty New York City police officer, who was killed trying to stop the gunman. Tamura ultimately turned the gun on himself.
While Tamura had no professional football background, police said he played high school football in California roughly a decade ago. In a chilling three-page handwritten note found in his wallet, Tamura claimed to be suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head trauma. The disease can only be diagnosed after death.
In the note, Tamura expressed remorse and requested that his brain be studied for CTE, citing the suicide of former NFL player Terry Long, who was posthumously diagnosed with the disease in 2005. The letter also accused the NFL of knowingly concealing the risks of brain injuries for financial gain.
According to The New York Post, Tamura’s note also referenced League of Denial, the 2013 PBS documentary exposing the NFL’s handling of concussions, as well as its companion book by ESPN journalists Mark Fainaru-Wada and Steve Fainaru. He also mentioned several doctors renowned for studying brain trauma in athletes.
The NFL, after years of denying a link between football and long-term brain damage, acknowledged the connection in 2016 testimony before Congress. Since then, it has paid over $1.4 billion to settle concussion-related claims from former players.
Speaking on CNN, Mayor Adams said the city’s medical examiner would decide whether Tamura’s brain will be tested for signs of CTE.
The shooting has rattled New York and revived difficult questions about the toll of contact sports, mental health, and gun violence. As investigators continue to piece together Tamura’s final days, families mourn the victims of a tragedy sparked by anger, illness, and a deadly plan gone horribly wrong.
