Everything we know about NYC gunman after concerning note is allegedly found that gives possible motive for shooting
Here's everything we know so far about the shooting at a New York office building after suspected gunman Shane Devon Tamura killed four people and himself.
New York officials said that Tamura - who reportedly had a ‘documented mental health history’ - had driven across the United States from Las Vegas to Manhattan.
At approximately 5:50 p.m., after parking his black BMW outside, Tamura entered 345 Park Ave. as the workday ended on Monday (July 28).
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a press conference that the suspect was armed with an M4 assault-style rifle and ‘immediately opened fire on a male NYPD officer’.
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It’s said he shot another person, this time a woman, before getting the elevator to the 33rd floor, where he ‘opened fire again and killed another person’.
Tisch confirmed four people were slain in the fatal gun attack before Tamura turned the gun on himself. Another male who was shot was taken to the hospital in critical but stable condition, the commissioner told NBC News.
Four other people in the building sustained minor injuries trying to flee, she confirmed.
One of the shooting victims, 36-year-old NYPD officer Didarul Islam, has been described as a ‘hero’ by officials.
“He loved this city and everyone we spoke with stated he was a person of faith and a person that believed in God and believed in living out the life of a godly person.” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.
Upon searching Tamura’s car, police found a loaded revolver, a rifle case, ammunition, magazines, a backpack, and prescribed medication, as per CNN.
An investigation into Tamura and his motives is still ongoing, and it’s believed he had a note on his person containing a ‘chilling final request’.
Who is Shane Devon Tamura?
Police identified the lone midtown Manhattan shooter as 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura, who was licensed to carry a weapon in the state of Nevada.
A CNN law enforcement analyst said: “All you have to do is show that you are a resident of the state and that you are not a convicted felon, or subject of an order of protection or restraining order, or domestic violence.”
CNN further reported that Tamura had been a former competitive football player in his youth, with a childhood friend describing him as a ‘nice guy and ‘a good athlete’.
“When I knew him, he was a great teammate. He was a great guy in general." an anonymous person told KABC. “He didn’t cause any problems, actually at all, in the locker room or on the field. He was just a guy that really enjoyed the sport, not problematic at all.”
They added that Tamura had been in the year above him at school and that they had not spoken for roughly a decade.
Former classmate Caleb Clark told NBC News: “You never would have thought violence was something you’d associate with him. Everything he said was a joke.”
Meanwhile, an ex-teammate, Anthony Michael Leon, said: “I’m telling you, this was one of those kids who never exerted bad energy or a negative attitude. He was quiet, but when he did actually talk, people listened.”
Speaking about what police have uncovered about Tamura at this stage, Christopher Raia, FBI deputy assistant director in charge of the New York Field Office, said. “Initial checks of our internal systems have not revealed any information about the subject, but when and if more information becomes available, we will share what we can, when we can.”
ABC News said that Tamura had two Mental Health Crisis Holds in his background in Nevada, one in 2022 and the other in 2024.
What did Tamura write in his note?
The suspected NYW gunman was allegedly found dead in the headquarters of the NFL, Blackstone Inc., KPMG and Rudin Management with a note on his person.
A source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN that the paper was a ‘suicide note’ and it was written over three pages.
It allegedly documented Tamura’s apparent struggle with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and asked for his ‘brain to be studied’.
“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.”
The late Terry Long was a former American football player who starred as an offensive lineman for eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL.
On June 7, 2005, Long committed suicide by consuming a gallon of antifreeze. He was 45.
An autopsy later revealed that Long was suffering from CTE.
The note also added that he wanted whoever found the note to tell ‘Rick’ he was ‘sorry for everything’.
It’s not clear at this stage who ‘Rick’ is.
What is CTE?
Mayo Clinic has categorized CTE as a rare brain disease likely caused by repeated head injuries and blows to the head.
The only way to definitively diagnose CTE is after death during an autopsy of the brain, meaning symptoms are difficult to nail down.
In people who were confirmed to have CTE at autopsy, their symptoms have included trouble thinking, aggression, depression, gradual loss of control of movements, and suicidal thoughts and/or behavior.
This progressive and fatal brain disease is also associated with the development of dementia, with research showing people who experience TBI in early to midlife are two to four times more at risk of developing dementia in late life.
The Boston University CTE Center diagnosed 345 out of 376 studied former NFL players with the brain disorder, including Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Rick Arrington and ex-Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Ed Lothamer.
"While the most tragic outcomes in individuals with CTE grab headlines, we want to remind people at risk for CTE that those experiences are in the minority,” said Anne McKee, director of the BU CTE Center and chief of neuropathology at VA Boston Healthcare System.
"Your symptoms, whether or not they are related to CTE, likely can be treated, and you should seek medical care. Our clinical team has had success treating former football players with mid-life mental health and other symptoms.”
Ella Scott