Who Killed in Manhattan? The Truth About Shane Tamura

Understanding the Tragedy in Midtown Manhattan

A tragic incident unfolded in midtown Manhattan when a 27-year-old Nevada man opened fire at a skyscraper, resulting in the deaths of at least four people before taking his own life. The event has left many questions unanswered as authorities continue to investigate the circumstances that led to this devastating act.

Shane Tamura entered the lobby of 345 Park Ave., a building housing the NFL headquarters and several major financial firms, on the evening of July 28. According to New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, he immediately began shooting. Among the victims was a 36-year-old New York City Police Officer named Didarul Islam, who lost his life during the attack.

Background on the Suspect

Tamura had documented mental health issues, according to Tisch. Authorities believe he acted alone. During a July 29 appearance on CBS, New York City Mayor Eric Adams revealed that Tamura left a note blaming the NFL for a brain injury. This note suggested that Tamura believed the organization concealed the dangers of football-related injuries to maximize profits.

Before the shooting, Tamura's car traveled across the United States. Surveillance footage showed him exiting a double-parked black BMW outside the Manhattan skyscraper. He then entered the lobby, turned right, and began shooting. The vehicle was registered under Tamura’s name in Nevada. Police discovered that it had traveled through Colorado, Nebraska, and Iowa before arriving in Columbia, New Jersey, hours before the shooting.

Inside the vehicle, officers found a rifle case with rounds, a loaded revolver, ammunition, magazines, and a backpack containing medication prescribed to Tamura. Despite these findings, authorities had not flagged Tamura as a threat prior to the incident, as reported by Adams to CNN.

Targeting the NFL Headquarters

Officials stated that Tamura shot Officer Didarul Islam and several others after entering the Park Avenue building. As he entered an elevator, he appeared to spare the life of a woman exiting the building. He then went to the 33rd floor, occupied by the building's owner, Rudin Management, and fired several rounds. One person was shot and killed. Tamura then took his own life.

Public records indicate that Shane Devon Tamura was issued a work card by the Private Investigators Licensing Board in Nevada, which regulates security guards and private investigators in the state. The card was active between December 2019 and December 2024 but did not authorize him to carry a firearm.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the gunman intended to reach the NFL headquarters but may have taken the wrong elevator, leading to additional shootings and the deaths of more employees. Tamura, who shot himself in the chest, left behind a three-page note claiming he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain condition often associated with repeated blows to the head, such as those experienced in contact sports like football.

In the note, Tamura asked for his brain to be studied and alleged that the NFL "knowingly concealed the dangers to our brains to maximize profits." He claimed football gave him CTE and alleged the disease caused him to "drink a gallon of antifreeze," according to police. Officials are still determining the next steps for examining Tamura's body, with the city's medical examiner set to decide how to handle the suspect's brain.

A Football Star's Past

Tamura attended high school in Southern California, where he was a star football player. Dan Kelley, a coach at Golden Valley High School, where Tamura played for three seasons before transferring to Granada Hills, described him as “a good athlete.” An online video from 2015 shows Tamura speaking after a game during his senior year at Granada Hills Charter School in Los Angeles.

"We definitely had to stay disciplined," Tamura says in response to a question about the game. "Our coach kept saying, 'Don't hold your head down, don't hold your heads down.' We just had to stay disciplined and come together as a team."

The school stated in a statement provided to USA TODAY that Tamura attended for the 2015 Fall semester but has had no connection with the school since his withdrawal a decade ago. The statement expressed horror over the violence in New York and extended sympathies to the victims and their families.

This is a developing story.