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EXCLUSIVE: NYC shooter fixated on NFL with CTE claims took ‘big hits' in high school, former teammate says
EXCLUSIVE: NYC shooter fixated on NFL with CTE claims took ‘big hits' in high school, former teammate says

The Independent

time4 hours ago

  • The Independent

EXCLUSIVE: NYC shooter fixated on NFL with CTE claims took ‘big hits' in high school, former teammate says

The NYC mass shooter who blamed the NFL for his apparent CTE brain injury did regularly take 'some big hits' on the field that left him 'looking empty,' a former high school teammate told The Independent. Shane Devon Tamura, 27, sprayed bullets from a M4 assault weapon at a Park Avenue office building Monday evening, killing four people including a cop before turning the gun on himself. Police found Tamura's body with a suicide note in his pocket that claimed he was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain condition that has been linked to the head trauma regularly endured by those who participate in contact sports, such as football players. Tobenna Okunna, 28, a onetime defensive end who played with Tamura in high school in Santa Clarita, California, told The Independent that he remembered the player, who was 5'7' and 140 lbs at the time, taking regular blows to the head. 'It's hard to convey, but Shane was really fast, and ran really hard, and he was really small. So, all that speed and energy running into these massive people… I do remember Shane taking some big hits,' Okunna said in a phone call from his home in North Carolina on Tuesday morning. Tamura 'had occasional moments of looking 'empty,' or spaced-out,' Okunna continued. 'We would commiserate about how high school is hard and stuff like that, [so] I just figured that whenever he had that look, he was just lost in thought… He did hit his head a lot, for sure.' Okunna – who went on to play Division 1-A college football at the University of San Diego and now works in the software industry – described the killer as someone who could sometimes appear distracted, almost dazed, but was, all in all, 'a very normal guy, very kind and well-liked by a lot of people.' Okunna said he remembered a period of time in high school during which Tamura's parents were having relationship issues, leading to 'some stress around that in his life.' About seven or eight years ago, another member of the Golden Valley football squad posted an appeal on social media, requesting information about Tamura's whereabouts. 'I do remember people were worried about him, because he did sort of fall off the face of the earth for a few years,' Okunna said. 'I followed Shane on Instagram, he would post sparingly, maybe once a year or so. I knew he was alive and I knew he was doing something, somewhere.' Tamura was a standout running back for the Golden Valley Grizzlies during the 2014-2015 academic year. In 2015, Tamura transferred to Granada Hills Charter School in Los Angeles, where he played his senior year. The gunman, who held a Nevada private investigator's license that expired last year and had lately been working in casino security, had 'a documented mental health history,' New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Monday. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday that Tamura 'appeared to have gone to the wrong floor,' and had in fact intended to attack the offices of the NFL located lower down in the 44-story high-rise. 'We're still going through the suicide note to zero on in the exact reason but at this time it appears as if it's something attached to his belief he experienced CTE from the NFL,' Adams said in an interview. Despite the lofty claim, Tamura never played beyond the high school level. 'Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze,' the disjointed note found in Tamura's pocket reportedly read. 'Study my brain please I'm sorry Rick I'm sorry for everything... You can't go against the NFL, they'll squash you.' In 2005, former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Terry Long took his own life by drinking a gallon of antifreeze. It was later discovered that he had been suffering from CTE. In the period leading up to Monday's bloodshed, Tamura was living with his mother and father, Michelle and Terence, in Las Vegas. His older brother, Terence Jr., also played football at Golden Valley HS and is now a petty officer in the U.S. Navy. Cops said Tamura drove his black BMW cross-country to Manhattan, arriving late Monday afternoon, then double-parked and strode into 345 Park Avenue, carrying an assault-style rifle in plain view, shortly before 6:30 p.m. In addition to the NFL offices, the office tower counts investment giant Blackstone, consulting powerhouse KPMG, and Rudin Management, a venerable local real estate firm which also owns the building, among its tenants. Tamura opened fire immediately upon entering the lobby, killing 36-year-old NYPD officer Didarul Islam, who was working off-duty, but in his police uniform, as a security guard. Blackstone identified one of its senior executives, Wesley LePatner, as among the dead. The other victims were identified as Rudin Management associate Julia Hyman, a 2020 Cornell University graduate, and Aland Etienne, a 'beloved' 46-year-old security guard. A fifth person – reportedly an NFL executive – was shot and injured, but survived. Tamura shot himself in the chest with the M4 rifle, authorities said. Investigators searched Tamura's car following the attack, and discovered two cellphones, medication, a loaded Colt Python .357 caliber revolver, and ammunition. Although Tamura had documented psychological issues, he was able to obtain a concealed carry permit in 2022 from the Las Vegas Metro Police Department. That same year, he was taken into custody on a mental health crisis hold; another would occur in 2024, law enforcement sources told ABC News. In June, a tipster at a gun show in Las Vegas notified law enforcement that Tamura had bought a suspiciously large amount of ammunition, along with an aftermarket trigger, the outlet reported. The Las Vegas Metro PD said Tuesday it was assisting the NYPD with its investigation. Tamura, who was arrested in Nevada in 2022 for trespassing, does not have a significant criminal record, authorities said. Public records show his father was a member of the LAPD, which was confirmed later on Tuesday by the Los Angeles Times. According to a department roster reviewed by the outlet, Terence Sr. became an officer in 1967 and worked primarily in the San Fernando Valley, with later stints in the Foothill and Devonshire patrol divisions. Tamura's mom is a licensed vocational nurse, according to the California Department of Consumer Affairs, which lists her residence as being in Las Vegas. 'It's very sad, really tragic, and I'm also just sad for the victims and Shane's family also,' Okunna told The Independent. '... It was a real surprise, it's very odd. I don't know what would compel a person to do that.' The NYPD is leading the ongoing investigation, with assistance also coming from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

Trump Now 'Seriously Considering' Pardon For Sean Combs Ahead Of Sentencing; White House Officially Says Nothing
Trump Now 'Seriously Considering' Pardon For Sean Combs Ahead Of Sentencing; White House Officially Says Nothing

Yahoo

time4 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

Trump Now 'Seriously Considering' Pardon For Sean Combs Ahead Of Sentencing; White House Officially Says Nothing

EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump is heavily weighing giving Sean 'Diddy' Combs a full presidential pardon ahead of the convicted Bad Boy Records founder's sentencing later this year. Nearly two months after Trump publicly entertained the notion of a Diddy pardon in an Oval Office gaggle, a comprehensive get out of jail card for Combs is being 'seriously considered,' an administration source tells Deadline. More from Deadline Trump Celebrity Supporters: Famous Folks In Favor Of The 47th President Diddy Tries Again To Get A $50M Get Outta Jail Card As Sentencing & Appeal Looms; 'Sean Combs Should Not Be In Jail For This Conduct' Donald Trump Takes On Late-Night Hosts, Again Additionally, as several associates of the much-accused and currently incarcerated 'All About the Benjamins' performer have been pitching the White House, other insiders confirm the topic has leveled up from 'just another Trump weave to an actionable event' since Combs was found partially guilty in the his NYC sex-trafficking trial earlier this month. Of course, as a number of parties attest, this being the roller coaster of Trumpworld, any decision on a Combs pardon is in flux until POTUS actually puts his signature on paper. RELATED: Repeatedly denied a $50 million bond and release from Brooklyn's Metropolitan Detention Center since his arrest last September, Combs could end up spending two to three years in a federal prison upon his sentencing on October 3 by Judge Arun Subramanian. Any sentence certainly would include time already served by Combs. Even with that, and the feds seeking the maximum under sentencing guidelines, an appeal is widely expected to be launched by the 10-attorney-deep defense almost immediately after sentencing occurs. Contacted by Deadline, Combs' defense team led by Marc Agnifilo and Teny Gerago had 'no comment' on any pardon talk for their client. While a number of individuals close to Combs both personally and professionally have been very active in seeking White House recourse for the Grammy winner, the defense team itself has had no significant participation in the process, I hear. Up on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, the reply was that 'the White House will not comment on the existence or nonexistence of any clemency request,' according to an administration official. RELATED: With a damning verdict for the U.S. Attorney's office for the Southern District of New York delivered by a federal jury on July 2 after an eight-week sex-trafficking trial, Combs escaped the most severe of the criminal charges he was facing. Even before the mixed verdict came in, Trump exclaimed on May 30 that when it came to a Diddy pardon, he 'would certainly look at the facts if I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me.' Once big on Trump, Combs became quite critical of him during the Republican's first term and endorsed Joe Boden in 2020. Before that, Trump and Combs had known each other for decades, with the former bluntly calling the latter a 'good friend' in 2012. Soon after hitting stardom, the often-ostentatious Combs was a regular on the 1990s and 2000s Manhattan party and charity circuit and often came into contact with Trump, who moved in similar circles. In the Season 12 premiere of The Apprentice, Trump told a reticent ex-Danity Kane singer Aubrey O'Day that he thought her former boss was 'a good guy, I'm going to stick up for him.' Asserting in May of this year that 'no one has asked' for a pardon for Combs, Trump added, 'I know people are thinking about it' as the May 12-starting trial went on. Jumping into the fray after weeks of trolling Combs, Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson vowed to stop any pardon. 'I'm gonna reach out so he knows how I feel about this guy,' the Trump-friendly rap star May 31 posted on social media. RELATED: Weeks later, after hearing harrowing testimony of drug-fueled 'freak off' sex sessions and violence from ex-girlfriends 'Jane' and a very pregnant Cassie Ventura, as well as ex-staffers, male escorts and law enforcement, the jury of four women and eight men only convicted Combs on the charges of transportation to engage in prostitution. Avoiding a likely life sentence, the 55-year-old Combs was declared not guilty in early July of sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy. The result laid bare the clear overreach and shortcomings of the Maurene Comey-led prosecutors' legal strategy, as well as the power of celebrity in American justice. This week, Combs' defense lawyers again requested that their client be let out of his confinement. Yet again, an offer of a $50 million bond was put on the table, as were restrictions on Combs' travel and who he interacts with. Earlier this month, Judge Subramanian gave the prosecution and the defense a July 30 deadline to put together a detailed package on letting Combs out for the roughly 60 days before sentencing. It looks like that proposal will not be a joint proposal from the parties, though more documents from the defense might show up in the docket in the next 24 hours. RELATED: Oval Office consideration of a Combs pardon has grown in recent days, I'm told by multiple sources. The increased interest also comes as the distraction-politics-advocating POTUS faces an uprising by his MAGA base over the continued reluctance on the part of the Department of Justice to make public promised files on now-dead sex offender and former Trump pal Jeffrey Epstein. Trump has even turned on enduring ally Rupert Murdoch with a $10 billion lawsuit after the Fox News owner's Wall Street Journal published a piece on July 18 on the president and Epstein's friendship. The well-connected millionaire was indicted in 2019 on sex trafficking charges and more involving underage women. As a point of contention for some who disbelieve the official suicide conclusion, Epstein died suddenly in custody in New York before his trial could begin. RELATED: Not long after the Combs' verdict was announced and as the Epstein flip fallout exploded, lead prosecutor Comey — daughter of ex-FBI director and Trump foe James Comey — was brusquely fired from the SDNY after years of service as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. In a July 18 statement on her exit, ex-Epstein prosecutor Comey never mentioned Trump by name, but left no doubt who she was referring to when she said: 'Fear is the tool of a tyrant, wielded to suppress independent thought.' Best of Deadline 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Emmys, Oscars, Grammys & More 2025 TV Cancellations: Photo Gallery

Livvy Dunne back on apartment hunt in NYC after being blocked from buying Babe Ruth's pad
Livvy Dunne back on apartment hunt in NYC after being blocked from buying Babe Ruth's pad

Yahoo

time7 hours ago

  • Entertainment
  • Yahoo

Livvy Dunne back on apartment hunt in NYC after being blocked from buying Babe Ruth's pad

Olivia 'Livvy' Dunne is determined to find her dream apartment in New York City. The retired NCAA gymnast, who was denied by a co-op board from attempting to purchase Babe Ruth's former Upper West Side apartment, was scouting real estate, as seen Sunday in a video on her TikTok. 'What the nyc realtor's hear when I'm back in nyc looking for an apartment,' Dunne, 22, wrote, including a clip of her skipping on the sidewalk. 'It isn't Babe Ruth's apartment but it'll do,' added the former LSU champion gymnast. Dunne, a native of New Jersey and the girlfriend of Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, didn't elaborate about her apartment search. Former Playboy model Holly Madison commented with, 'You deserve Babe Ruth's apartment!!!!!!!!!!' The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model made waves after she struck out in her bid to buy Ruth's former New York City home — a seventh-floor, three-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom pre-war residence at 345 W. 88th St. The co-op board in the Upper West Side building rejected Dunne's purchase — a $1.59 million, all-cash deal — days before she was set to pick up the keys, she said in a TikTok video. 'I get a call. The co-op board denied me,' Dunne told her eight million followers in a video titled, 'I'm just disappointed that's all.' 'Pretty much the people in the building voted to not have me live there, which is fine. It got to the point where the realtor was so confident, Paul and I went, I got an interior designer because I didn't want to bring my college furniture to Babe Ruth's apartment, that would be like, criminal.' Dunne explained that she had 'no clue' why she was rejected to purchase the apartment, which she said would've been her first real estate purchase. However, The Post learned from one resident in the West 88th Street building that Dunne's online presence was too much for the board. The seller's agent from Compass told The Post their team was 'all shocked and displeased' by the board's rejection, and tried unsuccessfully to get them to reconsider. 'The managing agent got back to me days later and said the board decision was final and that was it,' the seller's agent said. 'The seller's real estate attorney liquidated (Dunne's) deposit and that was it and we're back on the market.' The board doesn't have to disclose why they turned Dunne down, the agent noted. Solve the daily Crossword

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