The shooter in Midtown Manhattan left behind a three-page handwritten note that criticized the NFL and requested, “study my brain please” in relation to the degenerative brain disease CTE, as reported by Business Insider.
Authorities discovered the note in the wallet of 27-year-old Shane Tamura, who opened fire in the building at 345 Park Avenue on Monday evening, resulting in the deaths of four individuals, including an NYPD officer and a Blackstone executive, before taking his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.
The initial page of Tamura’s note referenced CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy), expressed regret with the words “I’m sorry,” and called for his brain to be examined. The second page mentioned the late NFL player Terry Long, who died by suicide in 2005 after being diagnosed with CTE.
CTE is associated with repeated head trauma and is often linked to football. Tamura’s note stated, “Football gave me CTE and caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze,” and indicated that one cannot oppose the NFL without facing serious consequences.
The third page urged, “Please study brain for CTE” and claimed that the league knowingly covered up the risks to protect its profits, stating, “They failed us.”
Following the shooting, investigators located Tamura’s body and the note on the 33rd floor of the skyscraper, which is home to several prominent businesses, including Blackstone and the NFL.
Police have not yet disclosed a motive for the attack. New York City Mayor Eric Adams noted in various interviews that Tamura appeared to be targeting the NFL but mistakenly used the wrong elevator, leading him to the wrong area of the building.
Adams added that after the gunman fired in the lobby, he inadvertently proceeded to Rudin Management, resulting in further violence. In a memo to staff, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that an NFL employee was seriously injured and hospitalized in stable condition.
Among the victims were Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner and NYPD officer Didarul Islam, who was providing security at the building.
If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of self-harm or suicide, please seek help. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 for support from the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or text “HOME” to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. Resources are also available through the International Association for Suicide Prevention for those outside the U.S.