The gunman who killed four people in an NYC office building in July had chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to the New York City medical examiner’s office.
The degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head injuries sustained in football and other contact sports can only be diagnosed posthumously. The gunman, identified as Shane Tamura, died by suicide following the shooting, which took place in the building that houses the headquarters of the National Football League. The suspect had no known connection to the NFL.
The medical examiner “found unambiguous diagnostic evidence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as C.T.E., in the brain tissue of the decedent. The findings correspond with the classification of low-stage C.T.E., according to current consensus criteria,” according to a statement.
A multi-page note was found in Tamura’s pocket, claiming he was suffering from CTE related to his time playing high school football, a law enforcement source previously told Rolling Stone.
“Study my brain please. I’m sorry,” Tamura wrote, according to the source. The note also mentioned a 2013 Frontline documentary on the topic of CTE and referenced former NFL players who suffered from the disease. The note also accused the NFL of hiding football’s potential risk to players’ brains. “He blamed the NFL,” the law enforcement source said.
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CTE, a neurodegenerative brain disease that has been connected to repeated blows to the head, has been seen in athletes, including hockey players and boxers, as well as military veterans. The disease, which was found in a study of donated brains of NFL players, has been associated with “impulsivity, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and explosivity,” according to one study. Symptoms can include loss of memory, changes in mood, confusion, and difficulty thinking clearly.
The four victims killed in the rampage were off-duty NYPD officer Didarul Islam; Wesley LePatner, an executive at Blackstone; security officer Aland Etienne; and Julia Hyman, an employee at Rudin Management. A fifth victim was wounded and taken to the hospital in critical condition, ABC News reported. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the “seriously injured” victim was an NFL employee.
