NEW YORK, NY — Authorities have revealed that Shane Tamura, the 27-year-old gunman responsible for Monday evening’s mass shooting at a Midtown Manhattan high-rise, left behind a disturbing handwritten note referencing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and former NFL player Terry Long, as investigators believe he intended to target the NFL’s headquarters but mistakenly went to the wrong floor.

According to law enforcement sources, Tamura claimed in the note that he, too, suffered from CTE, a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head trauma.

The note included statements such as:
“Terry Long football gave me CTE and it caused me to drink a gallon of antifreeze,” and
“You can’t go against the NFL, they’ll squash you.”
He also wrote: “Please study brain for CTE. I’m sorry. The league knowingly concealed the dangers to our brains to maximize profits. They failed us.”

Terry Long was a former offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers who died by suicide in 2005 by ingesting antifreeze. He was diagnosed posthumously with CTE.

Despite Tamura’s claims, authorities confirmed that he never played professional football. He was, however, a standout high school football player in California.

Mayor Eric Adams confirmed during a Tuesday press briefing that the shooter had mental health issues and appeared to have specifically targeted the NFL, whose offices are located between the 5th and 8th floors of 345 Park Avenue.

“He mistakenly took the wrong elevator bank and ended up on a higher floor than where the NFL is located,” Adams stated. “We’re still reviewing the contents of the suicide note to determine his exact motives, but it appears connected to his belief that he suffered from CTE due to football-related injuries.”

The shooting unfolded at approximately 6:30 p.m. when Tamura, a Las Vegas resident with a documented history of mental illness, entered the Park Avenue building armed with an M4-style rifle.

He opened fire in the building’s lobby, killing four individuals—including NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, and Wesley LePatner, a senior managing director at Blackstone and CEO of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT).

LePatner, a respected executive and mother of two, was shot and killed in the lobby during the initial moments of the rampage. Blackstone confirmed her death in a statement:
“We are heartbroken to share that our colleague, Wesley LePatner, was among those who lost their lives in the tragic incident at 345 Park Avenue.”

As the chaos erupted, Blackstone employees sent urgent warnings via email and Microsoft Teams.

Some barricaded themselves in offices and bathrooms as the situation unfolded.

After the lobby shootings, Tamura was seen on surveillance footage allowing a woman to exit an elevator unharmed before ascending to the 33rd floor—home to Rudin Management Company, the building’s ownership group.

It was there he shot and killed one more victim before fatally turning the weapon on himself.

Authorities recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition from Tamura’s double-parked vehicle outside the building, including a rifle case, a loaded revolver, multiple magazines, and a prescription medication bottle with his name.

Mayor Adams reiterated that the investigation is ongoing:
“We are still working to understand why this location was targeted and what drove this individual to commit such a horrific act of violence.”

The incident sent shockwaves through the high-profile tower, which houses tenants such as the NFL, Blackstone, and Rudin Management.

The NYPD and federal investigators are continuing their review of Tamura’s writings, digital activity, and travel records in the days leading up to the shooting.