Medical examiner confirms CTE in Park Avenue shooter Shane Tamura
Postmortem findings show unambiguous evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the 27-year-old shooter; officials say causation for the attack remains uncertain.
The New York City Medical Examiner’s Office announced Friday that Shane Tamura, the 27-year-old shooter who killed four people during a rampage at the NFL’s headquarters at 345 Park Avenue, had Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, in his brain.
Officials described the brain as showing unambiguous diagnostic evidence of CTE, characterized as low-stage by the medical examiner’s office. Tamura was an ex-high school football player with a long history of mental illness, investigators said.
The medical examiner’s spokeswoman stressed that a finding of CTE does not establish a causal link to the Park Avenue attack; she said science cannot determine the role of CTE in this specific incident.
Tamura’s rampage began July 28 as he walked into the NFL complex with an AR-15-style rifle, authorities said. He was unable to reach the league’s headquarters but killed four people, including NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, 36, before turning the gun on himself.
A note found in Tamura’s pocket requested that his brain be studied for CTE and alleged that the NFL concealed dangers to players’ brains for profit.
Experts say CTE is a degenerative disease linked to repetitive head trauma; in Tamura’s case the timeline and mental health history complicate any assessment of causation. The case underscores ongoing discussions about brain injury risks in contact sports and the need for continued research and policy changes.
