New York shooter's handwritten 'suicide note' explains why he attacked Manhattan NFL offices
A gunman who fatally shot an NYPD officer and three others in a Midtown Manhattan office building on Monday evening left behind a note suggesting his actions were linked to a possible battle with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to law enforcement sources.
Shane Tamura, 27, reportedly referenced the NFL in the multi-page note, which was discovered after he turned the gun on himself on the 33rd floor of 345 Park Avenue, a luxury office tower that houses the NFL's headquarters on the fifth to eighth floors.
In the note, it said he suffered from CTE - a brain disease linked to repeated head trauma, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN. He also asked for his brain to be studied.
Manhattan shooting UPDATES: Didarul Islam among four dead in 'pure evil' attack
Hero cop killed in New York City skyscraper shooting identified as Didarul Islam
'Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze,' the shooter wrote, according to the source. 'You can't go against the NFL, they'll squash you.'
He continued in the note: 'CTE chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Study my brain please I'm sorry Tell Rick I'm sorry for everything."
The shooter was also found carrying papers which suggest he had a grievance with the NFL and its handling of CTE, CNN has been told.
After carrying out the shooting, Tamura fatally shot himself in the chest. Authorities said Tamura, who had a known history of mental health issues, opened fire in the building's lobby, injuring a fifth person, believed to be an NFL employee, who survived the attack.
League Commissioner Roger Goodell later confirmed in a letter to staff that one of their own had been "seriously injured" in the incident.
Tamura is believed to have travelled more than 2,500 miles from Las Vegas to New York to carry out the horror on Monday night.
He had previously worked as a security guard at a Las Vegas casino. In his teens, he was a promising high school football player in California.
A former classmate, Caleb Clarke, told NBC News, 'It looked like the sky was the limit, and then it wasn't anymore.'
Tamura graduated from Golden Valley High School in 2016, where he had been a standout running back. His coach had once told the Los Angeles Times he expected "big things" from Tamura during his senior year.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to learn more about Tamura's background and motive.
The city had recently announced it was on pace to have its fewest people hurt by gunfire than any year in recent decades.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
27 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa says sitting on Trump's sports council will be ‘an honor'
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has spoken of his pride at being named to Donald Trump's council on sports, fitness, and nutrition. Tagovailoa joins two other current NFL stars on the council, Nick Bosa and Harrison Butker, who have been backers of Trump's Maga movement. While Tagovailoa has not publicly expressed his support for the president, who once described NFL players who knelt for the national anthem as 'sons of bitches', he said he was happy to align himself with Trump. 'I think it's pretty cool – it's an honor, [to serve on the council]' Tagovailoa said on Wednesday. 'I don't know too much about it, but it's an honor.' Trump has revitalized the council under an executive order that will also being back the presidential fitness test for American children, which was phased out during the Obama administration. Tagovailoa said he did not know why he had been named to the council. When Trump announced the council's members he mispronounced Tagovailoa's name. On Wednesday. the quarterback laughed off the president's error. 'I don't think he's had the worst – I heard a couple worse at Alabama,' said Tagovailoa. 'It is what it is, I don't take that to heart.' Earlier this week, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley said he had declined his invitation to sit on the council. 'A couple months ago, it was brought to my team about the council,' Barkley told reporters after Monday's Eagles practice session. 'So I'm not really too familiar with it. I felt like that I am going to be super busy. Me and my family thought it would probably be of best interest to not accept that. I was definitely a little shocked when my name was mentioned. I'm assuming it's something great, so I appreciate it but was a little shocked when my name was mentioned.' NFL commissioner Roger Goodell will also be a member of the council.
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Reports: ESPN extends NFL draft rights through 2030
August 6 - ESPN will remain the home of the NFL draft through 2030, multiple media outlets reported on Wednesday. ESPN's draft rights had expired after the 2025 event in Green Bay. The extension came in the wake of this week's news that ESPN is selling a 10 percent equity stake to the NFL. The NFL confirmed a "multi-year extension" on Wednesday but did not provide a specific end date. The year 2030 is significant as it will mark the 50th edition of the draft on ESPN, which launched in 1979 and began broadcasting the event the following year. Starting with the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Disney+ and Hulu will also begin streaming draft coverage. --Field Level Media
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
49ers' George Kittle 'distraught' over ban of smelling salts
August 6 - San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle is making a stink about the NFL's recent ban on smelling salts. Kittle interrupted an NFL Network interview at training camp on Tuesday to "air a grievance" about the policy. "Our team had a memo today that smelling salts and ammonia packets were made illegal in the NFL, and I've been distraught all day," said Kittle, who added that he uses the substances on "every drive." Starting this season, teams are prohibited from "providing or supplying ammonia in any form" on game days either on the field or in the locker room, according to the league memo. "In 2024, the FDA issued a warning to companies that produce commercially available ammonia inhalants (AIs), as well as to consumers about the purchase and use of AIs, regarding the lack of evidence supporting the safety or efficacy of AIs marketed for improving mental alertness or boosting energy," the memo says, per ESPN. "The FDA noted potential negative effects from AI use. AIs also have the potential to mask certain neurological signs and symptoms, including some potential signs of concussion." Kittle, 31, is far from the only NFL player who regularly uses smelling salts. That includes athletes in other sports, including ice hockey. The six-time Pro Bowler said he has always used them for a boost of energy, joking that the change made him consider hanging up his cleats. "I considered retirement," Kittle said. "We have got to figure out a middle ground here, guys. Somebody help me out. Somebody come up with a good idea. That's all I had to get out there. Get that off my chest." --Field Level Media
