On the evening of Monday, July 28, 2025, a mass shooting occurred in Midtown Manhattan at 345 Park Avenue, a 44‑story building that houses the National Football League’s corporate offices, as well as firms like Blackstone and Rudin Management (Business Insider.)
The shooter, identified as Shane Devon Tamura, a 27‑year‑old Las Vegas resident, drove cross‑country before entering the building armed with an M4‑style rifle. Surveillance video captured him walking into the lobby and opening fire, apparently targeting the NFL suite but mistakenly boarding the wrong elevator bank. Authorities believe he “took the wrong elevator bank up to the NFL headquarters. Instead, it took him to Rudin Management, and that is where he carried out additional shootings” before killing himself on the 33rd floor (ABC News).
Victims and Response
Four individuals were killed, including off‑duty NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, a 36‑year‑old man of Bangladeshi origin who had served New York City’s police department for three and a half years (The Washington Post). Other victims included security guard Aland Etienne, Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner, and an unnamed Rudin Management employee. An additional person, a league staffer, was critically injured and later stabilized in hospital care (AP News).
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called the shooting “an unspeakable act of violence in our building,” expressing deep gratitude toward first responders and the NYPD officer “who made the ultimate sacrifice.” He noted a league employee was “seriously injured” and is now in stable condition, according to AP News.
The Shooter’s Note and CTE Claims
Authorities recovered a three‑page handwritten note in Tamura’s wallet. In it, he claimed to suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma, and accused the NFL of hiding its risks for profit: “You can’t go against the NFL, they’ll squash you,” and “Study my brain please. I’m sorry.” He also referenced Terry Long, a former NFL player diagnosed with CTE and who died by suicide in 2005 (ABC7 New York).
On the note Tamura wrote that the NFL “knowingly concealed the dangers to our brains to maximize profits. They failed us,” according to The Washington Post.
Background and Unresolved Questions
Tamura had played high school football in Southern California, but there is no evidence he ever played professionally or had any formal association with the NFL. Authorities confirmed he had a documented mental health history, and had received two mental health crisis holds in Nevada in recent years—and had a concealed‑carry permit since 2022, according to ABC7 New York.
Researchers caution that CTE can only be definitively diagnosed posthumously. Dr. Ann McKee, director of Boston University’s CTE Center, noted, “I do think it’s possible he has CTE because we have seen it in former high school players with just that amount of exposure,” though she also stressed that a mental health disorder might explain his condition instead, according to The Washington Post.
Faith‑Centered Reflection
For Catholics, this tragedy brings into sharp relief the Church’s teachings on the sanctity of life, the duty to care for the mentally ill, and the moral imperative to pursue truth—even when painful. The faithful are reminded of Pope Saint John Paul II’s call to respect human dignity at all stages and states of life, and to minister compassionately to those burdened by mental illness.
As believers pray for the souls of the four victims, heroes like Officer Islam and devoted professionals, they are also called to seek justice, honest investigation, and pastoral support for all affected, including families, surviving coworkers, and first responders.
May prayer, charitable outreach, and honest discourse around brain injury and spiritual care bring healing to those harmed and clarity to those asking why such evil occurs in our midst.
LIGHT A FREE PRAYER CANDLE FOR THE SHOOTING VICTIMS AND ALL THOSE AFFECTED.
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