A tragic story emerged from the shooting at the NFL headquarters, where the assailant, Shane Tamura, reportedly had a brain disease. Medical examiners disclosed that he left a note requesting a study of his brain for “CTE,” or chronic traumatic encephalopathy.
According to officials, the 27-year-old’s brain showed “clear diagnostic evidence” of low-stage CTE. A spokesperson from the medical examiner’s office confirmed this finding, providing answers to many who had been speculating about his condition.
Tamura, who had a background as a high school football player and a history of mental illness, had also written a suicide note that highlighted his struggles with CTE. Among his belongings was a memo that openly criticized the NFL, blaming the league for his mental health issues.
The note included a plea: “Study your brain about CTE,” and expressed frustration over how the NFL allegedly concealed health risks for profit. He stated, “They made us fail.”
On July 28th, Tamura walked into the NFL headquarters armed with an AR-15-style weapon, targeting the building directly. Tragically, he took the lives of four individuals, including NYPD officer Didalur Islam, before turning the gun on himself.
A representative from the medical examiner’s office noted the ongoing uncertainty about whether Tamura’s CTE played a role in the shooting. “We can’t definitively say how CTE influenced the incident,” she remarked. “I’m not suggesting that CTE was the cause of what occurred on Park Avenue.”
