Introduction to the Tragedy
Shane Tamura, the gunman who killed four people and himself in a New York City office building in July, had CTE, a degenerative brain disease linked to head injuries sustained in football and other contact sports.
The Diagnosis
The New York medical examiner “found unambiguous diagnostic evidence of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE, in the brain tissue of the decedent,” according to a statement. “The findings correspond with the classification of low-stage CTE, according to current consensus criteria.” The 27-year-old, who took his own life, was a high school football player at Granada Hills Charter School in the San Fernando Valley and Golden Valley High in Santa Clarita.
Background of the Gunman
Tamura drove this summer from Nevada — where he worked as a security guard at the Horseshoe Las Vegas hotel and casino — to New York, leaving behind a three-page suicide note stating that he believed he had CTE and that his motive was anger at the NFL for making profit a priority over players’ brain safety. “Football gave me CTE,” Tamura reportedly wrote. “Study my brain please.”
The Incident
Tamura entered the skyscraper on Park Avenue that houses NFL headquarters but ended up on the wrong floor. He killed police officer Didarul Islam, security guard Aland Etienne, Blackstone senior executive Wesley LePatner and real estate employee Julie Hyman. He also shot and wounded NFL employee Craig Clementi before killing himself with a shot to the chest.
Understanding CTE
CTE, caused by concussions and non-concussive impacts, tends to be diagnosed mostly in those who have played football for a decade or longer. However, four years of high school football could expose a player to CTE, said Chris Nowinski, co-founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, a nonprofit group that supports athletes and others affected by CTE and concussions. “The odds of having CTE are best correlated to the number of seasons played,” Nowinski said. “The best window we have is we have studied 45 former high school players who died before 30, and 31% had CTE.”
Expert Insights
Daniel Daneshvar, chief of brain injury rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, said high school football players warrant greater study and treatment. “Can a high school player get it? Yes,” Daneshvar recently told The Times. “Of the 3.97 million football players in this country, those that are playing at the college and the professional level are less than 4%, so we’re talking about over 96% of people are playing at some youth or high school level.” Nowinski stressed that being diagnosed with CTE didn’t necessarily cause Tamura to commit a crime. “It’s very clear that most people who have developed CTE have not become murderers, and most people have not had extraordinary psychiatric symptoms that involve them to have involuntary psychiatric holds,” Nowinski said.
Remembering the Gunman
Tamura was remembered as quiet and respectful in high school. Granada Hills teammate Anthony Michael Leon told NBC News, “This is so shocking. I’m telling you, this was one of those kids who never exerted bad energy or a negative attitude. He was quiet, but when he did actually talk, people listened.”
Conclusion
The tragic incident involving Shane Tamura highlights the potential risks associated with CTE, particularly among young athletes. While the diagnosis of CTE does not predetermine violent behavior, it underscores the need for further research into the effects of contact sports on brain health. It also emphasizes the importance of support systems for athletes who may be struggling with the consequences of their participation in sports.
FAQs
- Q: What is CTE?
A: Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease linked to head injuries sustained in football and other contact sports. - Q: Can high school football players develop CTE?
A: Yes, high school football players can develop CTE, although the risk is generally considered lower than for those who play for a decade or longer. - Q: Did Tamura’s CTE diagnosis cause him to commit the crime?
A: Experts stress that having CTE does not necessarily lead to violent behavior or crime. Most people with CTE do not become murderers or exhibit extreme psychiatric symptoms. - Q: What is being done to address CTE in football players?
A: There are ongoing efforts to study and treat CTE, including research into its causes, effects, and potential treatments, as well as initiatives to make football safer for players at all levels.
