Shane Tamura, the 27-year-old gunman behind Monday’s devastating mass shooting at 345 Park Avenue in Manhattan, is being remembered by his former high school football coach as a “quiet, hard-working” athlete—a haunting contrast to the chaos he unleashed.
Tamura gunned down four people, including a New York Police Department officer, before turning the weapon on himself. Authorities later discovered a suicide note that referenced CTE—the degenerative brain disease linked to head trauma—and made mention of the NFL, which is headquartered at the building he attacked.
“He Led by Example”: Former Coach Remembers Tamura
Before his name made headlines for tragedy, Tamura was a running back at Granada Hills Charter High School in Southern California during the mid-2010s.
His former assistant coach, Walter Roby, told FOX 11 that Tamura transferred to Granada Hills from Golden Valley High and quickly became one of the top players on the offensive line.
“He was a quiet kid, a hard worker,” Roby said.
“Whatever we asked him to do, he was doing it. He led by his actions on the field.”
Tamura’s past demeanor stood in stark contrast to the violence he later committed—leaving many who knew him shocked and heartbroken.
Coach Questions What Went Wrong: “Could I Have Done More?”
For Roby, the news triggered a spiral of questions.
“Could I have done more? Could I help the kid?”
“Could I have reached out to him, or could he have reached out to me?”
Roby added that the tragedy has left him emotionally overwhelmed, wrestling with how someone he once coached could end up committing such a horrific act.
CTE and the NFL Connection: A Disturbing Note Left Behind
Investigators say a suicide note was found on Tamura’s body claiming he suffered from CTE—a brain condition often linked to repeated head injuries and commonly seen in athletes, particularly football players.
The note also referenced the NFL, and authorities now believe Tamura was attempting to target the NFL’s headquarters, which is located at 345 Park Avenue, the scene of the attack.
“He Got Lost Inside”: Mayor Says NFL Was the Intended Target
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Tamura appeared to have gotten lost inside the building after storming in. While it’s unclear if the shooter had a specific individual in mind, officials confirm that one NFL employee was seriously injured in the attack.
“He was targeting the NFL headquarters,”
Mayor Adams said.
“But he did not reach his exact destination.”
NFL Commissioner Responds: Employee Injured, Now Stable
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that an NFL staff member was injured during the chaos but is currently in stable condition.
No other NFL employees were harmed, but the emotional toll has been deeply felt across the organization, especially given the references to the league in the shooter’s note.
Tragedy Leaves Trail of Questions, Pain, and Reflection
As New York and the sports world grapple with the shocking event, many are asking the same question: What could have prevented this?
Shane Tamura’s story is now being looked at through a new lens—one of missed signals, mental health, and the ongoing conversation about the impact of contact sports on the brain.
For those who knew him on the field, like Coach Roby, the pain is personal.
“It’s just a lot of things I’m trying to process right now,”
he said, his voice heavy with emotion.
From Athlete to Killer: A Life Derailed
Tamura’s transformation from promising student-athlete to a mass shooter has shaken not just the city of New York but the entire sports community.
He is now part of a devastating national conversation—about gun violence, mental illness, and the unseen effects of head trauma.
What are your thoughts on Shane Tamura’s tragic story? Could early intervention have made a difference?
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