Late NFL star Pat Tillman's brother to undergo mental competency test before trial over crash
Richard Tillman, 44, of San Jose was arrested after he allegedly rammed a car into a post office in a San Jose, California, strip mall around 3 a.m. Sunday, and set it on fire inside the building, which went up in flames, San Jose police said. No injuries were reported.
During his arraignment Wednesday, his attorney raised doubts about Tillman's ability to stand trial. The judge ordered a competency test and set bail at $135,000.
Tillman, with a long beard and shoulder-length hair and his hands in handcuffs, waved at television cameras as he entered the courtroom. He told the judge he didn't want his court-appointed defense attorney, calling him 'incompetent.'
He also said he didn't want to be released on bail.
'I don't need bail. I don't have anywhere to live,' he said.
Tillman was booked on suspicion of arson and vandalism. He is also charged with a felony count of possessing combustible materials for the purpose of arson, according to court documents. Tillman allegedly used fire-starter logs and lighter fluid bought from a grocery store to make his car into an incendiary device, the Mercury News reported.
Tillman kept livestreaming a video of the fire on YouTube even as he was being interrogated by a San Jose police officer, the newspaper reported.
After the crash, his brother Kevin Tillman shared a statement from the family who said they were relieved no one was hurt.
'To be clear, it's no secret that Richard has been battling severe mental health issues for many years,' the family said. 'He has been livestreaming, what I'll call, his altered self on social media for anyone to witness. Unfortunately, securing the proper care and support for him has proven incredibly difficult — or rather, impossible. As a result, none of this is as shocking as it should be.'
Pat Tillman left the Arizona Cardinals to join the military after 9/11 and was killed in Afghanistan in 2004 at age 27. His family is from the San Jose area.
Kevin Tillman also left his Major League Baseball career with the Anaheim Angels to serve in the military.
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The Province
34 minutes ago
- The Province
Gunman who killed 4 at Manhattan office building was targeting NFL headquarters, mayor says
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The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Investigators believe Shane Tamura, of Las Vegas, was trying to get to the NFL offices after shooting several people Monday in the building's lobby but accidentally entered the wrong set of elevator banks, Adams said in interviews. Four people, including off-duty New York City Police Officer Didarul Islam, were killed. Police said Tamura had a history of mental illness, and a rambling note found on his body suggested that he had a grievance against the NFL over a claim that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which can only be diagnosed after someone has died. 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National Post
35 minutes ago
- National Post
Gunman who killed 4 at NYC building was targeting NFL offices but took wrong elevator, mayor says
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THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Investigators believe Shane Tamura, of Las Vegas, was trying to get to the NFL offices after shooting several people Monday in the building's lobby but accidentally entered the wrong set of elevator banks, Adams said in interviews. Four people, including off-duty New York City Police Officer Didarul Islam, were killed. Police said Tamura had a history of mental illness, and a rambling note found on his body suggested that he had a grievance against the NFL over a claim that he suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, which can only be diagnosed after someone has died. He played high school football in California nearly two decades ago, but he never played in the NFL. Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again 'He seemed to have blamed the NFL,' the mayor told WPIX-TV. 'The NFL headquarters was located in the building, and he mistakenly went up the wrong elevator bank.' Police work at the scene of a fatal shooting in midtown Manhattan on July 28, 2025 in New York City. Photo by Spencer Platt / Getty Images NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a memo to staff that a league employee was seriously injured in the attack and was hospitalized in stable condition. 'We are deeply grateful to the law enforcement officers who responded to this threat quickly and decisively and to Officer Islam, who gave his life to protect others,' Goodell said. 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'I trust our Law Enforcement Agencies to get to the bottom of why this crazed lunatic committed such a senseless act of violence. My heart is with the families of the four people who were killed, including the NYPD Officer, who made the ultimate sacrifice,' Trump posted on social media. This advertisement has not loaded yet. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A New York Police officers gather at the scene on 52nd Street outside a Manhattan office building where two people were shot, including a New York police officer, Monday, July 28, 2025, in New York. Photo by Angelina Katsanis / AP In addition to housing the NFL's headquarters, the skyscraper is home to the investment firm Blackstone and other companies. Blackstone confirmed that one of its employees, Wesley LePatner, was among those killed. 'Words cannot express the devastation we feel,' the firm said in a statement. 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Photo by JOHN LAMPARSKI / AFP via Getty Images Islam was a 36-year-old immigrant from Bangladesh who had served as a police officer in New York City for 3 1/2 years, Tisch said at a news conference. His body was draped in the NYPD flag as it was moved from the hospital to an ambulance, with fellow officers standing at attention. 'He was doing the job that we asked him to do. He put himself in harm's way. He made the ultimate sacrifice,' Tisch said. 'He died as he lived: a hero.' Adams said one challenge of the investigation has been that Tamura only arrived in New York shortly before the shooting, leaving few clues in the area. The mayor said it's also a challenge for law enforcement 'dealing with those who come from areas with lax gun laws that allow individuals to have these high-powered weapons into cities like New York that have strong gun laws.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.
Edmonton Journal
37 minutes ago
- Edmonton Journal
Gunman who killed 4 at NYC building was targeting NFL offices but took wrong elevator, mayor says
Article content 'I trust our Law Enforcement Agencies to get to the bottom of why this crazed lunatic committed such a senseless act of violence. My heart is with the families of the four people who were killed, including the NYPD Officer, who made the ultimate sacrifice,' Trump posted on social media. Article content Article content In addition to housing the NFL's headquarters, the skyscraper is home to the investment firm Blackstone and other companies. Article content Blackstone confirmed that one of its employees, Wesley LePatner, was among those killed. Article content 'Words cannot express the devastation we feel,' the firm said in a statement. 'Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed. She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond.' Article content Article content A Yale graduate, LePatner was a real estate executive at Blackstone, according to the firm's website, and spent more than a decade at Goldman Sachs before joining the firm in 2014. Article content Surveillance video showed the man exiting a double-parked BMW just before 6:30 p.m. carrying an M4 rifle, then marching across a public plaza into the building. Then, he started firing, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said, killing a police officer working a corporate security detail and then hitting a woman who tried to take cover as he sprayed the lobby with gunfire. Article content The man then made his way to the elevator bank and shot a guard at a security desk and shot another man in the lobby, the commissioner said. Article content 'Our officer, he was slain in the entryway to the right as soon as he entered the building, the suspect entered the building,' Adams said in a TV interview. 'He appeared to have first walked past the officer and then he turned to his right, and saw him and discharged several rounds.' Article content Article content The man took the elevator to the 33rd floor offices of the company that owned the building, Rudin Management, and shot and killed one person on that floor. The man then shot himself, the commissioner said. The building, 345 Park Avenue, also holds offices of the financial services firm KPMG. Article content Article content Islam was a 36-year-old immigrant from Bangladesh who had served as a police officer in New York City for 3 1/2 years, Tisch said at a news conference. Article content His body was draped in the NYPD flag as it was moved from the hospital to an ambulance, with fellow officers standing at attention. Article content 'He was doing the job that we asked him to do. He put himself in harm's way. He made the ultimate sacrifice,' Tisch said. 'He died as he lived: a hero.' Article content Adams said one challenge of the investigation has been that Tamura only arrived in New York shortly before the shooting, leaving few clues in the area.
