NYC mass shooter links NFL to brain disease CTE — here's what it is and how it affects people

A 27-year-old gunman who carried out a deadly shooting at a Midtown Manhattan skyscraper this week claimed he suffered from a degenerative brain condition known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), blaming the NFL for his mental decline.

Shane Tamura killed four people, including an NYPD officer, before turning the gun on himself on the 33rd floor of 345 Park Avenue, the same building that houses the National Football League’s headquarters. Found in his pocket was a handwritten three-page note accusing the league of “concealing the dangers” of repeated head trauma and urging authorities to study his brain after death.

“You can’t go against the NFL, they’ll squash you,” Tamura wrote, referencing the 2005 suicide of Pittsburgh Steelers player Terry Long, who was posthumously diagnosed with CTE. “Please study brain for CTE. I’m sorry. The league knowingly concealed the dangers to our brains to maximize profits. They failed us.”


Mayor Eric Adams confirmed that Tamura appeared to be targeting NFL employees but got off at the wrong elevator bank. “It appears as though he was going after the employees of the NFL,” Adams said, noting that Tamura never actually played in the league. Still, Tamura claimed a personal connection to football-related brain damage.

The shooting has once again turned public attention toward CTE, a poorly understood and currently untreatable brain disorder.

What is CTE?Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive and fatal brain disease believed to result from repeated head trauma. It causes nerve cell degeneration, brain shrinkage (atrophy), and a wide range of cognitive, emotional, and physical symptoms. The condition can only be definitively diagnosed after death, via autopsy.

CTE has been most notably found in athletes in high-impact sports like football and boxing, as well as in military personnel exposed to combat blasts. However, it has also been documented in victims of domestic violence and individuals with repeated concussions.


Symptoms of CTESymptoms of CTE are broad and may not appear until years, sometimes, decades after the brain trauma occurred. There are two commonly observed patterns:

Early-onset behavioral and emotional issues (typically beginning in a person’s 20s or 30s):

Impulsive or aggressive behavior

Anxiety and depression

Emotional instability

Substance abuse

Suicidal thoughts or actions



Later-onset cognitive decline (generally starting in the 50s or 60s):

Memory loss

Trouble with thinking, planning, and decision-making

Dementia-like symptoms




In more advanced stages, CTE may also cause movement-related issues resembling Parkinson’s disease, including speech and balance problems.


What causes CTE?CTE is linked to repeated head trauma, ranging from diagnosed concussions to lesser-known "sub-concussive" hits. Research suggests it's not one major blow that causes CTE but rather the cumulative effect of repeated injuries over time.

In individuals with CTE, scientists have found abnormal deposits of a protein called tau. These deposits disrupt normal brain function by interfering with how nerve cells communicate. The pattern and location of tau buildup in CTE differ from other neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.