Gunman Who Killed Four in New York Was Allegedly Targeting NFL but Entered Wrong Office, Mayor Says

A gunman who fatally shot four people in a midtown Manhattan skyscraper on Monday evening had intended to target the National Football League (NFL), but mistakenly entered the wrong office suite, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

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The assailant, identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura of Las Vegas, was found with a note blaming the NFL for a brain injury he believed he had sustained. The note referenced chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head trauma. Although Tamura played football as a teenager, former teammates confirmed to U.S. media that he had never competed at the professional level.

Tamura took his own life after carrying out the attack inside the high-rise building that houses NFL offices. He reportedly used the wrong elevator and entered a different office, that of Rudin Management, which owns the property, rather than the NFL's headquarters.

Among the victims was 36-year-old Didarul Islam, a New York City police officer who was working as a security guard at the site. Another victim, Wesley LePatner, was an executive at the global investment firm Blackstone, the company confirmed. Two additional male civilians were also killed, and an NFL employee sustained serious injuries, according to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

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"The shooter left behind a note suggesting he believed he was suffering from CTE and blamed the NFL for his mental health struggles," Mayor Adams said in an interview with CBS. “This appears to be the underlying motive.”

Authorities believe Tamura drove cross-country from Las Vegas to New York before launching the attack with an assault-style rifle. He initially opened fire in the building’s lobby, then proceeded to the 33rd floor, where additional gunfire occurred before he turned the weapon on himself.

The incident led to a major police response, with large sections of Midtown Manhattan cordoned off and public transportation disrupted. Witnesses described scenes of chaos as heavily armed officers cleared the building floor by floor in a process that lasted several hours.

Eyewitnesses recounted the terror of the scene. Nekeisha Lewis, who was dining nearby at the time, told NBC News: “It felt like a warzone. I saw a man run out with visible injuries it was the most terrifying situation I’ve ever experienced.”

Emergency responders transported at least one individual with chest injuries from the scene on a stretcher. Law enforcement has launched a full investigation into the shooting and Tamura's cross-country journey, including any history of mental health issues or prior threats.

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