Shane Devon Tamura, a 27-year-old man from Las Vegas, carried out a deadly shooting inside a Midtown Manhattan office tower Monday evening, killing four people, including an off-duty NYPD officer, before taking his own life. The building, located at 345 Park Avenue, houses the NFL headquarters and other major tenants.
Tamura entered the building armed with an M4-style assault rifle and wearing a bullet-resistant vest. He began firing in the lobby, first shooting the uniformed officer assigned to the building and several other employees. He then took an elevator to the 33rd floor—but according to officials, he mistakenly used the wrong elevator bank and never reached the NFL offices he allegedly intended to target.
Investigators later found a multi-page note on Tamura in which he blamed the NFL and football for causing him chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain condition linked to repeated head trauma. The note referenced Terry Long, a former NFL player diagnosed posthumously with CTE who died by suicide. Tamura pleaded in his note: “Study my brain, please. I’m sorry.”
Despite his claim, Tamura did not play professional football. Authorities note he was active in high school football nearly two decades ago, but there is no evidence he ever had a diagnosed brain injury or CTE. No connection between him and the NFL was found.
In total, four individuals lost their lives in the shooting. One was the NYPD officer, identified as Didarul Islam, a father of two who was serving on building security details. Other victims include a corporate executive and staff working in the same building. A fifth individual was critically injured and is now in stable condition. Several others suffered minor injuries while fleeing.
Mayor Eric Adams described the incident as “heartbreaking” and said Tamura’s motives remain unclear, though the suicidal message seemed to link his actions to perceived neurological harm and grievances against football and the NFL. “It appears as though he was targeting the employees at the NFL,” the mayor said.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said that the shooter used military-style weaponry, stressing the need for a national assault weapons ban. She noted that New York already has some of the strictest gun laws in the country, yet weapons can be acquired in other states and brought into the city.
Local officials confirm the scene was secured quickly, and the building was placed on lockdown. Police say there is no continuing threat to the public. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage, Tamura’s travel path across multiple states before arriving in New York, and his prior history of mental health crisis holds in Nevada.
The tragedy has prompted renewed calls for better mental health support and stricter firearms regulations. Memorials and tributes are pouring in for the victims, especially the slain officer, whose sacrifice has moved the city deeply.
0 Comments