Shane Tamura, posthumously diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) after shooting
Shane Tamura, the man responsible for the death of four people and for taking his own life in a shooting that occurred in July at the NFL headquarters, was posthumously diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). This was confirmed by a statement from the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office. Tamura, 27, had left a note in his wallet after the shooting, where he expressed his belief that he suffered from CTE and his wish for his brain to be examined after his death. Forensic analysis revealed “unequivocal evidence” of CTE in Tamura’s brain tissue, determining that he suffered from “early-stage CTE.” CTE can only be officially diagnosed after death.The tragic incident took place on July 28, when Tamura entered the building located at 345 Park Avenue around 6:30 p.m. There, he caused the death of Didarul Islam, an off-duty police officer; Wesley LePatner, a real estate executive at Blackstone; Julia Hyman, an associate at Rudin Management; and Aland Etienne, a security officer. In addition, he injured an NFL employee and, according to authorities, is believed to have been trying to reach the league headquarters, but took the wrong elevator. In August, a source close to Tamura’s family revealed that he started playing American football at the age of 6 and continued during high school in the Los Angeles area, before moving to Nevada. There, he worked in private security and then in surveillance at a Las Vegas casino. The same source also reported that Tamura suffered from headaches in his adulthood and underwent injections in the back of his head to try to alleviate these pains. Likewise, it indicated that Tamura suffered from mental health problems. Las Vegas authorities also responded to two calls related to Tamura’s mental health during his stay in the city, according to information released by the Las Vegas Police Department. One of them, in 2022, occurred because Tamura’s mother feared her son would take his own life. In that call, the mother informed the police that her son was being treated for depression, concussions, chronic migraines, and insomnia. Additionally, Tamura was in custody for mental health issues in 2024 and was arrested in 2023 at the Red Rock Casino in Henderson, Nevada, following a discussion about presenting identification after winning at the casino. Prosecutors decided not to file charges against Tamura in the 2023 case.We continue to mourn the senseless loss of life, and our hearts go out to the victims’ families and our dedicated employees. There is no justification for the horrific acts that took place. As the medical examiner points out, “the science around this condition continues to evolve, and the physical and mental manifestations of CTE are still being studied.”
NFL Statement
