New York shooter left handwritten ‘suicide note’ explaining why he did it
The gunman who shot himself after opening fire in a Midtown Manhattan office is said to have left behind a multi-page 'suicide note'.
Authorities were alerted to the incident after he opened fire before 6.30pm on Monday (28 July) evening.
Police identified the suspected shooter as Shane Devon Tamura, 27, who travelled to New York from Las Vegas recently.
In the spree, he killed a police officer and three others before taking his own life, in the Park Avenue tower, Manhattan.
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One other person was shot and left seriously injured.
While officials confirmed that the man left a note behind, it was claimed in writing that Tamura was battling with a mental health condition called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
The man was reported to have shot himself in the chest after the shooting while on the 33rd floor of the skyscraper.
Everything we know about the Manhattan NFL offices attack
The NYPD carried out a press conference on Monday evening to share details of the shooting, revealing that a multi-page note was left behind.
It is said that Temura entered 345 Park Avenue, a luxury office tower, and opened fire in the lobby.
He then called for a lift and let a woman exit the building unharmed, before making his way to the 33rd floor, the offices of Rudin Management Company.
Police described him holding an M4 assault rifle while entering the skyscraper, and opening fire on an NYPD officer named Didarul Islam, who had been with the force since early 2022.
The Mayor of New York, Eric Adams, paid tribute to the late police officer, who had emigrated from Bangladesh as a father-of-two.
Speaking about the late 36-year-old, Adams said that the events were 'despicable', and that 'this never gets easy' when talking to the press.
He described Officer Islam as a 'true blue New Yorker', and revealed he spoke to his family and called him 'a hero'.
Authorities also found a revolver, more ammunition and prescription medication in his black BMW.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell later told staff that one of their members was left 'seriously injured' following the incident.
What did the shooter’s ‘suicide note’ say?
Tamura was reportedly a former competitive American football player who had his issued with the National Football League (NFL), whose officers were in the building he attacked.
While police said he had a 'documented mental health history', motives are still being investigated.
In Tamura's pocket was a suicide note that alleged that he suffered from CTE, a brain disease linked to head trauma, report CNN.
Included in the note was the claim: “You can’t go against the NFL, they’ll squash you.”
“Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze,” sources said the note said.
It went on: "CTE chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Study my brain please I’m sorry Tell Rick I’m sorry for everything."
CNN was told that he also had papers which suggested that he had a grievance with the NFL and the way it handled CTE.
The NFL offices are on the fifth floor of the tower infiltrated by the shooter.
What is chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)?
CTE is commonly associated with American football players as a brain injury.
Studies have revealed that repetitive impacts to the head can result in the disease, as according to Mayo Clinic, CTE causes the death of nerve cells in the brain, known as degeneration.
It's a condition that worsens over time, and the only way to diagnose the condition is to conduct an autopsy of the brain.
The rare condition is still not fully understood by medical experts, though it is believed to be related to a number of head injuries.
This is common in combat sports or military combat, and it has been said that it can lead to a number of neurological and psychological symptoms, potentially dementia in the long-term.
Topics: Crime, Mental Health, NFL, New York, US News
Joshua Nair