Gunman who opened fire in a NYC skyscraper bought his $1,400 gun from his casino boss
The gunman who opened fire in a New York City skyscraper, killing four people, including an off-duty cop, bought his $1,400 gun from his boss at a Las Vegas casino where he had worked, according to officials.
Shane Tamura, a 27-year-old from Nevada, had driven cross-country over the weekend and then walked into a Midtown Manhattan building, which houses NFL offices, on Monday, where he fatally shot people in the lobby and on the 33rd floor before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.
Police have been trying to piece together the events leading up to the shooting, though a motive is still unclear.
Tamura had worked in the surveillance department of the Horseshoe Casino, the Associated Press reported.
The M4 assault rifle that police said he used in the shooting was purchased from the man who supervised him at the casino, The New York Times reported, citing New York police officials.
In a briefing to reporters, police did not say whether the gun sale was illegal. They said the seller was not being charged in New York and was cooperating with law enforcement.
According to a CNN report, citing a law enforcement official, Tamura’s supervisor also sold him the car that he used to drive to New York. That official said the gun was first purchased by Tamura’s boss legally.
The Independent has reached out to Caesars Entertainment, which owns the Horseshoe, and the New York City Police Department for comment.
Tamura was raised in Santa Clarita, California, where he played high school football.
In a note discovered by authorities, Tamura claimed he was suffering from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disease linked to former athletes with repeated head trauma.
CTE can only be diagnosed after death, with no specific symptoms tied to the disease present while a victim is alive.
“Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze…You can’t go against the NFL, they’ll squash you,” the note reportedly read, in part.
Long was a Pittsburgh Steelers player who died by suicide in 2005 after drinking antifreeze. Officials said CTE contributed to his death.
Tamura had a “documented mental health history,” according to officials, and his old teammate, Tobenna Okunna, told The Independent, “I do remember Shane taking some big hits” on the field.
