A gunman who opened fire inside a Midtown Manhattan skyscraper Monday evening may have been targeting the NFL’s New York headquarters, New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday.
The shooting occurred around 6:20 p.m. on July 28 inside 345 Park Avenue, a high-rise that houses the NFL’s offices along with several other companies. Authorities identified the suspect as Shane Tamura, 27, of Las Vegas. Police said Tamura entered the building’s lobby with an M4-style semiautomatic rifle and began firing.
Four people were killed: NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, who was off duty and working security; security guard Aland Etienne; Wesley LePatner, an executive at Blackstone; and Julia Hyman. An NFL employee was critically injured and remains in stable condition, according to a memo from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
A bullet also struck a large NFL crest near the elevator bank, police said, citing surveillance footage.
In an interview Tuesday on CBS Mornings, Mayor Adams said preliminary findings suggest Tamura “took the wrong elevator bank up to the NFL headquarters. Instead, it took him to Rudin Management, and that is where he carried out additional shootings and took the lives of additional employees.”
Suspect’s Background and Motive
Authorities said Tamura left behind a three-page note in his pocket. One message read: “Study my brain please. I’m sorry,” according to ABC News. Another page allegedly blamed the NFL for concealing the risks of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head injuries.
“He appeared to have blamed the NFL for his injury,” Adams told CBS Mornings. “He did have a note on him. The note alluded to that he felt he had CTE.”
Tamura had no known ties to the league. He played high school football in Los Angeles but did not play in college or professionally. At the time of the shooting, he worked in surveillance at the Horseshoe Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Law enforcement sources told ABC News that Tamura had been placed on mental health crisis holds in Nevada, once in 2022 and again in 2024. These holds allow authorities to detain individuals for up to 72 hours if they are considered a danger to themselves or others.
Investigators said Tamura drove cross-country in a black BMW, which he double-parked outside the Park Avenue building before opening fire. Police later found a loaded Colt Python .357 revolver, extra ammunition, two cellphones, and medication in the vehicle.
The Ongoing Investigation
Tamura legally purchased the Colt revolver using a Nevada concealed carry permit obtained in 2022, according to ABC News. Authorities are now investigating how he was able to access firearms despite his mental health history.
“We really need to look at allowing our federal law enforcement officials to access the database of those with severe mental health illness,” Adams said in an interview with CNN.
The NYPD said two investigative teams were dispatched to Las Vegas—one to execute a search warrant, and another to assist in tracing Tamura’s firearms.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called the shooting a “tragic reminder” of the limitations of state-level gun laws when high-powered weapons can be transported across state lines.
“The time to act is now,” Hochul said in a statement. “Congress must summon the courage to stand up to the gun lobby and finally pass a national assault weapons ban before more innocent lives are stolen.”
She also ordered flags on state buildings to fly at half-staff in honor of the victims.
The New York City medical examiner will examine Tamura’s brain for signs of CTE, according to ABC News. The results of the autopsy could offer further insight into his mental state and the events leading up to one of the city’s deadliest mass shootings in recent years.