The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed today that Shane Tamura, the gunman behind the shooting at the NFL headquarters, had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE). Tamura, who had traveled all the way from Las Vegas to New York City, left behind writings acknowledging his traumatic brain injury and accusing the NFL of prioritizing profit over player safety, as per a report from ABC7 New York.
In his note, Tamura included a request for his brain to be examined and an apology indicating his awareness of his condition. The examination by medical experts at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner revealed "unambiguous diagnostic evidence of CTE" in the low-stage, correlating with current consensus criteria according to a statement obtained by NBC New York, where it was noted that CTE, a condition linked to repeated head trauma, is still the subject of ongoing scientific scrutiny.
The rampage claimed the lives of four people, including a security guard, an executive at Blackstone, a police officer, and a young employee, before Tamura died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The role of CTE in his actions remains unconfirmed by pathologists.
Tamura, 27, a former high school football player and onetime casino worker, had a documented history of mental health incidents, his mother calling the police in 2022 expressing concern over suicidal threats linked to sports-related injuries, which came to light through law enforcement officials in Nevada that NBC New York noted. His psychiatric history did not bar him from legally purchasing the weapon used in the shooting, a detail highlighted by the medical examiner’s posthumous confirmation of his degenerative brain disease diagnosis.
While the NFL has not addressed the findings related to Mr. Tamura's CTE, they previously expressed their condolences for the victims and those affected by the heinous act. The investigation into Tamura's background and his motivations is ongoing, as authorities work to understand the full scope of the circumstances that led to this series of events.
