The July shooting at the Manhattan building that houses the NFL’s headquarters has taken a troubling turn with new medical findings.
The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has confirmed that the gunman, 27-year-old Shane Tamura, suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma.
Tamura killed four people and wounded another before turning the gun on himself inside 345 Park Avenue on July 28. A note found in his wallet after the tragedy revealed that he believed he had CTE and wanted his brain studied posthumously.
The medical examiner’s office later confirmed “unambiguous evidence” of low-stage CTE in his brain tissue, a diagnosis that can only be confirmed after death.
In a statement, the NFL expressed condolences while emphasizing that no condition excuses such violence.
“We continue to grieve the senseless loss of lives, and our hearts remain with the victims’ families and our dedicated employees,” the league said. “There is no justification for the horrific acts that took place. As the medical examiner notes, the science around this condition continues to evolve, and the physical and mental manifestations of CTE remain under study.”
Tamura’s path to that day was marked by years of football and escalating mental health struggles. According to sources close to his family, he began playing tackle football at age six and continued through high school in Los Angeles before relocating to Nevada.
There, he worked in security and casino surveillance, but also battled headaches so severe that he required injections. He reportedly suffered from depression, chronic migraines, insomnia, and had been treated for concussions.
Las Vegas police records show multiple mental health-related interventions. In 2022, his mother called authorities fearing her son might take his own life. He was also placed on a mental health hold in 2024 and faced arrest the year prior after an incident at Red Rock Casino, though prosecutors declined to pursue charges.
On July 28, Tamura entered the building at 345 Park Avenue around 6:30 p.m. and fatally shot four people: Didarul Islam, an off-duty police officer; Wesley LePatner, a Blackstone real estate executive; Julia Hyman, an associate at Rudin Management; and Aland Etienne, a security officer.
An NFL employee was also wounded. Law enforcement later suggested Tamura may have been attempting to reach NFL offices but took the wrong elevator.
The findings surrounding Tamura’s CTE diagnosis add yet another layer to the ongoing conversation around football, brain trauma, and mental health.
While the condition has been linked to memory loss, depression, aggression, and impaired judgment, the science remains incomplete, and tragic cases like this underscore the urgent need for more research.
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