Police say the Manhattan gunman who killed four people before taking his own life left a chilling three-page note accusing the NFL of concealing the dangers of football-related brain injuries. The shooter, identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura, reportedly played high school football and asked for his brain to be studied for chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). “Study my brain please. I’m sorry,” the note read.
Investigators believe Tamura intended to reach the NFL’s midtown Manhattan offices but ended up on the wrong floor. New York Mayor Eric Adams said the note directly named the league and condemned it for hiding the risks of repeated head trauma. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed Tamura had a “documented mental health history.”
CTE is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head injuries, commonly seen in contact sports. Symptoms include aggression, memory loss, depression, and impaired judgment. It can only be confirmed after death via brain autopsy, and there is currently no treatment.
Research has drawn strong links between CTE and football. Boston University’s CTE Center reported in 2023 that 91.7% of 376 former NFL players studied had the disease. A 2017 study found CTE even in those who only played in high school or college.
The NFL long denied any connection, but in 2016, it publicly acknowledged football’s link to CTE. Since then, several players, including Junior Seau and Dave Duerson, have donated their brains for research after dying by suicide, both leaving notes similar to Tamura’s plea.
Tamura’s case reignites debate over the NFL’s role in protecting players and the long-term cost of America’s most popular sport. For many, it’s another reminder that the damage can last long after the final whistle.
