Gunman in deadly NFL office shooting had low-stage CTE, medical examiner says
Medical examiner links low-stage CTE to the July attack; four people were killed in the NFL’s Manhattan office.
The gunman who opened fire at the NFL’s New York City office in July has unambiguous diagnostic evidence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Friday. The findings correspond with low-stage CTE, according to the OCME, which noted that CTE may be found in brains of people with histories of repeated head trauma and that the science around the condition continues to evolve.
Shane Tamura, 27, of Las Vegas, died by suicide after firing in the building’s lobby and then entering a 33rd-floor office, authorities have said. A note found in his pocket claimed he had a traumatic brain injury and blamed the NFL for concealing the dangers to players’ brains to maximize profits. The note read, "Study my brain please. I'm sorry." The victims identified were Didarul Islam, 36, an off-duty NYPD officer who was working security in the building; Wesley LePatner, 43; Julia Hyman, 27; and security guard Aland Etienne. An NFL employee was also shot in the lobby.
OCME’s Friday determination follows earlier statements that CTE may be found in brains of people with histories of repeated head trauma. The agency stressed that the science around CTE remains the subject of ongoing study and that the presence of CTE does not necessarily prove a link to the shooting. Pathologists at the initial autopsy did not say whether CTE played a role.
The NFL has since increased security at its New York offices. Executive Vice President Jeff Miller said the league has expanded security with the building’s partners under the guidance of former Washington, D.C., police chief Cathy Lanier, as the NFL looks to improve safeguards after the deadly Midtown incident.
Tamura was detained in Las Vegas after a traffic stop, according to the Las Vegas Police Department. He died by suicide after the incident. The case has renewed attention on security around sports league offices and on questions about whether such measures can prevent similar attacks.
