Los Angeles — New revelations have surfaced regarding Shane Tamura, the man responsible for a deadly shooting at a Manhattan office building, which housed NFL headquarters. Family members had previously expressed concerns over his mental health, linking it to an ongoing battle with issues stemming from a sports-related concussion.
Tamura, aged 27, had a history of psychological challenges and reportedly carried a note indicating a diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly referred to as CTE, during the tragic incident. Authorities disclosed that he began his violent spree by shooting three individuals in the lobby of the building before moving to the 33rd floor, where he fatally shot a fourth victim before taking his own life.
The former employee of the Horseshoe Las Vegas casino had significant frustrations with the NFL, believing the league concealed the risks associated with brain injuries from contact sports. Though he did not pursue a career in professional football, Tamura participated in the sport during his high school years in Southern California.
In a distressing 911 call made on September 12, 2022, Tamura’s mother conveyed that her son was undergoing treatment for various mental health issues, including depression, migraines, and insomnia related to his concussion. She revealed that he was taking prescribed medication and had access to a firearm. Her fear for her son’s well-being led her to discreetly call emergency services from outside a motel, citing Tamura’s emotional outbursts.
“He’s expressed suicidal thoughts,” she told the dispatcher during the call. The emotional turmoil described was compounded by Tamura’s agitation, which prompted his mother to remove herself from the apartment in hopes of calming him down.
Following that incident, Tamura was hospitalized again in 2024 after expressing intentions to harm himself. Video footage from body-worn cameras of responding officers has highlighted his ongoing struggles with mental health.
While normally, privacy laws would restrict the release of this information, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department made the decision to share these records due to the gravity of the case. Tamura, who worked until recently in the surveillance department of the Horseshoe Las Vegas, undertook a cross-country trip leading up to the shooting on July 28, acquiring the weapon used in the crime from his supervisor at the casino.
Investigators have also searched Tamura’s personal belongings, reporting the recovery of a rifle tripod, ammunition, and psychiatric medications in his residence, further underscoring the precarious state of his mental health leading up to the incident.
Under existing laws, Tamura’s mental health history would not have automatically barred him from legally acquiring the firearm that contributed to the tragic events, unless a specific protective order had been sought. However, new legislation is set to take effect, allowing officers to confiscate firearms from individuals placed on emergency mental health holds.
Officers have also uncovered prior encounters with law enforcement involving Tamura, which included a 2023 trespassing charge at a casino where he became confrontational after being asked for identification. He had also faced citations for driving violations, adding to a troubling pattern of behavior.
These events have highlighted ongoing concerns about mental health, gun access, and the responsibilities of both individuals and institutions in addressing the complexities surrounding mental health crises.