The gunman who killed four people in a Manhattan office building on Monday evening has been identified as Shane Tamura, a 27-year-old from Las Vegas. Tamura travelled over 2,500 miles to carry out the attack at 345 Park Avenue, where he shot dead New York Police Department officer Didarul Islam and three others before turning the gun on himself.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that Tamura left Las Vegas on Saturday, July 26, and drove across several states to reach New York City. His vehicle, a black BMW registered in Nevada, was found at the crime scene containing a rifle case, a revolver, ammunition, magazines, a backpack, and prescription medications. Surveillance footage shows Tamura exiting the double-parked car with an M4 rifle and calmly walking towards the building.
Once inside the lobby, Tamura shot Officer Islam, a woman hiding behind a pillar, a security guard, and another man. He then took the lift to the 33rd floor, where he killed one person in the offices of Rudin Management, the building's owner, before shooting himself in the chest. The building also houses the NFL headquarters, and an NFL employee was seriously injured in the attack, according to Commissioner Roger Goodell.
A note found on Tamura suggested a grievance with the NFL and its handling of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease linked to head trauma. The note read: 'Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze. You can’t go against the NFL, they’ll squash you.' Tamura also asked for his brain to be studied. Investigators are exploring whether Tamura's history of mental illness and his past as a high school American football player motivated the attack.
Former high school friends in Southern California expressed shock, describing Tamura as a 'great guy' and a 'good athlete.' Police have confirmed that Tamura acted alone and had a history of mental health issues, as reported by Las Vegas authorities.
