A three-page note was found in the wallet of the shooting suspect who opened fire in a midtown Manhattan office building, killing four people, including an NYPD officer, and himself a day ago, officials familiar with the investigation said overnight. That document may have insight into a potential motive for the attack.
Law enforcement has identified the gunman in Monday’s Park Avenue shooting as 27-year-old Shane Tamura, of Las Vegas. At a press conference late that night, they said he had a “documented mental health history.”
According to officials familiar with the investigation, in the note found at the scene, Tamura voiced anger that his mental illness may be linked to his having played football in his youth. The Park Avenue address he targeted is home to the NFL’s corporate offices, among others. Investigators are looking into that as a possible motive.
Specifically, the Park Avenue shooting suspect’s note wonders about “CTE” being a possible cause of his mental illness. CTE, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease found in individuals with a history of repetitive head trauma. Symptoms include cognitive impairment and mood, personality and behavioral changes, as well as movement disorders. It can only be diagnosed in autopsy.
“CTE, study my brain please. I’m sorry,” one quote said.
The note also referenced former Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Terry Long, who died in 2005 by suicide. Football-related brain injuries were listed as a contributing factor to his death, according to a revised death certificate from the Alleghany County coronor. The note warned against going against the NFL, claiming it will “squash you.”
Another line accuses the NFL of concealing “the dangers to our brains to maximize profits. They failed us.”
Tamura played high school football in Los Angeles but did not play professionally. Former coach Walter Roby said Tamura was a talented running back and “a great player” who was “real elusive, real agile.”
In an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Mayor Eric Adams was asked about the possible link between the note and whether he wanted to target the NFL offices. Adams said Tamura was trying to target the headquarters of the NFL but entered the wrong set of elevator banks.
“He talked about CTE. He was not an NFL player. We have reason to believe that he was focused on the NFL agency that was located in the building, and we’re going to continue to investigate with our federal partners to ensure that we can find a reason,” Adams responded, adding that the NYPD found an additional weapon in a car that was parked outside.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the shooting in a note to employees late Monday. He noted an NFL employee was seriously injured in the attack and was last said to be hospitalized in stable condition.
Calling the shooting an “unspeakable act of violence,” Goodell said there would be an increased security presence at the building in the days and weeks to come. Grief counselors will be on hand, he said, and urged all employees to take advantage of the resources available to them.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the officer and three other civilians had died in the gunfire. Another person suffered critical injuries and was clinging to life at the hospital Monday night.
Two victims have been publicly identified, an NYPD officer who was killed as he worked a paid detail at the building on his day off and an executive with Blackstone real estate.
The investment firm Blackstone confirmed Tuesday that one of its executive employees had been killed.
“We are heartbroken to share that our colleague, Wesley LePatner, was among those who lost their lives in the tragic incident at 345 Park Avenue,” the company said in a statement. “Words cannot express the devastation we feel. Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed.”
“She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond,” it continued. “She embodied the best of Blackstone. Our prayers are with her husband, children and family. We are also saddened by the loss of the other innocent victims as well, including brave security personnel and NYPD.
The officer who was killed was Didarul Islam, 36, an immigrant from Bangladesh who had served as a police officer in New York City for just over three years, police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference.
Islam leaves behind two young boys, and his wife is pregnant with their third child, Tisch said.
“He was doing the job that we asked him to do. He put himself in harm’s way. He made the ultimate sacrifice,” Tisch said. “He died as he lived. A hero.”
Four other people got minor injuries attempting to flee the scene.
A deadly shooting in New York City has left five people dead, including a police officer, three civilians and the shooter, according to authorities. The incident occurred in a high-traffic area, prompting a swift response from law enforcement.
Surveillance video showed a man exit a double-parked BMW while carrying an M4 rifle before walking toward the building. Tisch said he immediately opened fire on the New York Police Department officer as he entered the building and shot a woman who tried to take cover and then began “spraying” the lobby with gunfire.
The man then made his way to the elevator bank and shot a security guard who was taking cover behind a security desk and shot another man in the lobby, the commissioner said.
The man took the elevator to the 33rd floor to a real estate management company and shot and killed one person on the floor. The man then walked down a hallway and shot himself, the commissioner said.
Officers found a rifle case, a revolver, magazines and ammunition in his car, Tisch said.
She said an initial investigation shows his vehicle traveled across the country, through Colorado on July 26, then Nebraska and Iowa on July 27 and arrived in Columbia, New Jersey, as recently as 4:24 p.m. Monday. He drove into New York City shortly thereafter, she said.
No one answered the door at the address listed for Tamura in Las Vegas.
New York Mayor Eric Adams provided updates late Monday night after a gunman shot five people in a midtown Manhattan office building, including an NYPD officer.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
