MANHATTAN, NY — On Monday, July 28, 27-year-old Shane Tamura crossed the country armed with a semi-automatic rifle and carried out a mass shooting at a Midtown Manhattan office building, home to the NFL’s headquarters. Four people were killed and another was critically injured before Tamura took his own life at the scene.
The case has shocked the nation not just for the act of violence itself, but for what was found afterward: a note in Tamura’s pocket referencing CTE, a degenerative brain condition linked to repeated head trauma. The incident has reignited urgent debate about the NFL and brain trauma in athletes and former players.
What Is CTE and What Did Tamura Say?
Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive brain disease caused by repeated head trauma. It cannot be definitively diagnosed during life and is associated with symptoms such as:
- Extreme behavioral changes
- Severe depression
- Episodes of rage or violence
- Emotional detachment
- Suicidal thoughts
Tamura, a former high school football player in Los Angeles, left behind three notes. One directly blamed the NFL for “hiding the dangers to players’ brains” in the name of profit. Another simply said:
“Please study my brain. I’m sorry.”
Although he had no NFL history and never played professionally, Tamura had documented mental health crises in Nevada, where he had been detained twice under psychiatric intervention orders.
The Invisible Cost of Brain Trauma
At Brain Injury Help Center, we’ve seen time and again how individuals with a history of head trauma suffer silently for years, without diagnosis, treatment, or support.
Tamura’s case is a sobering reminder of:
- The urgent need to assess mental and neurological health in those with known head injuries
- The responsibility of sports and educational institutions is to prevent, monitor, and treat brain injuries starting at the school level
- The stigma that still surrounds invisible brain damage—especially among young people, men, and marginalized communities
Is There Institutional Responsibility?
While Tamura was the perpetrator of this tragedy, his note raises a disturbing question:
Did the system do enough to identify and treat his mental and neurological decline?
The NFL has faced multiple lawsuits related to CTE and has paid out over $1 billion in legal settlements to retired players diagnosed post-mortem. But what about the thousands of former high school and college athletes who lack access to advanced medical screenings?
Our Mission: Protecting Those Who Can’t Explain Their Pain
At Brain Injury Help Center, we believe no one should suffer in silence.
We provide:
🧠 Specialized medical evaluation for brain trauma
📚 Education on the silent symptoms of TBI
⚖️ Legal assistance for victims and their families
🫂 Emotional support and access to treatment
If you or someone you love has suffered a head injury and is experiencing behavioral changes—there is help.
The Medical Treatment you Need. The Money you Deserve.
📞 Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.
👉 Learn your rights as a brain injury survivor
👉 Talk to our specialists now
