New York police confirmed that the perpetrator of the shooting on July 29 at the skyscraper on Park Avenue, Manhattan was Shane Tamura, 27, a security guard at a Las Vegas casino and a former high school football player. The incident killed four people and injured many others, including an employee of the National Football League (NFL).
Police captain Jessica Tisch said at the scene, police picked up an suicide note from Shane Tamura, in which he blamed NFL for the chronic brain degenerative disease (CTE) Tamura said he suffered from playing soccer in high school. The letter reads: Please study my brain. I apologize.
Tamura also mentioned a 2013 documentary about former NFL players who have suffered from the disease.
Tamura is not a former NFL player but played for a high school football team in California. CTE is thought to cause symptoms such as dementia and aggressive behavior, and can only be accurately diagnosed after death. The NFL has spent more than $1 billion to settle lawsuits related to the former player's brain injury and has adjusted the rules of the game to reduce the risk of injury.
According to US media, Tamura traveled to New York by car from Las Vegas for 3 days and appeared to be acting alone. Before committing suicide on the 33rd floor of the building, where the real estate company Rudin Management office is located, Tamura opened fire in the lobby, causing many casualties.
The first victim was Didarul Islam, 36, a New York police officer of Bangladesh origin, father of two young children and a pregnant wife. He was called a "real hero" by Mayor Eric Adams. The next two victims were Aland Etienne, a security guard, and Wesley Le patner, a senior director at Blackstone. Many of Le patner's colleagues were also injured.
The last person to die was Ms. Julia Hyman, who was working at Rudin Management. The building has been temporarily closed along with some neighboring buildings, while much of Park Avenue is still operating normally.
NFL currently allows New York-based employees to work remotely through the end of next week. A NFL spokesperson declined to comment on the suspect's motives.
