Shane Tamura, who drove cross-country from Las Vegas and opened fire at the New York headquarters of the NFL, killing four, had CTE, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Friday, according to ABC News.
Police found a three-page note in Tamura’s pocket claiming he had a traumatic brain injury and blaming the NFL for “concealing the dangers to players’ brains to maximize profits.”
Elsewhere Tamura wrote, "Study my brain please. I'm sorry."
“Following a thorough assessment and extensive analysis by our neuropathology experts, OCME has found unambiguous diagnostic evidence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE, in the brain tissue of the decedent.
"The findings correspond with the classification of low-stage CTE, according to current consensus criteria,” the medical examiner’s office said.
“CTE may be found in the brains of decedents with a history of repeated exposure to head trauma. The science around this condition continues to evolve, and the physical and mental manifestations of CTE remain under study.”
We know Tamura attended high school and played football in the Los Angeles area, but did not play professionally. He has no known connection to the NFL, according to a report by ABC News.
Tamura’s past includes two involuntary psychiatric holds— known as Legal 2000s in Nevada — one in 2022 and another in 2024. Neither of those encounters legally barred him from purchasing a firearm.
WATCH | Why red flags weren't raised during Tamura's firearm purchase
He was also cited for misdemeanor trespassing by Las Vegas police in 2023, but the case was later dismissed by the DA's office, according to court records.
The medical examiner’s office previously said Tamura died by suicide of a self-inflicted gunshot. The pathologists do not say whether CTE played a role.
