Yesterday, a 27-year-old Nevada man entered a building on 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. He was carrying an AR-15 pistol equipped with a stabilizing brace and wearing body armor. His target was the National Football League’s (NFL) main office, but he got on the wrong elevator. He exited on the 33rd floor, where he opened fire, killing five people, including an off-duty New York cop, and injuring six before turning the gun on himself.
The shooter targeted the NFL offices over his grievances with the league’s actions surrounding chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). The shooter and former high school football running back believed he suffered from CTE. CTE is due to repeated brain trauma and can lead to mental illness. Athletes who play contact sports such as football or hockey have a high occurrence of medical conditions associated with brain injury. The NFL has been accused of covering up the dangers of brain trauma in the past, which could have played into the shooter’s psychosis. Sport leagues have established specific concussion protocols in recent years to help prevent brain injuries such as CTE after much public outcry.
The shooter shot himself in the chest after killing the victims. According to a note that was found on the shooter, the shot placement was intentional to leave his brain intact so it could be “studied.” CTE cannot be diagnosed while a patient is alive. Only after the sufferer has died can it be detected because the brain must be cut into to see the encephalitis. There are currently no medical scans that can detect CTE. Doctors use medical signs to treat suspected cases of chronic brain injury, but cannot make a definitive diagnosis.
NYC shooter Shane Tamura thanked a CTE documentary and listed names of prominent neuroscientists in apparent suicide note: sources https://t.co/NMRkSoYovQ pic.twitter.com/2QzKhpAng9
— New York Post (@nypost) July 29, 2025
Past NFL superstars have been diagnosed with the disease, including the former New England Patriots tight end and murderer Aaron Hernandez. Mr. Hernadez was an all-star player, but murdered his girlfriend’s sister’s fiancée. He would be sent to prison, where he would commit suicide. After his death, it was determined he suffered from CTE. Many Americans suffer from CTE but never commit an act of violence. CTE can play a role in violent tendencies, but it usually isn’t the only factor.
After the shooting and images were leaked to the public, CNN called the shooter a “white male.” The picture clearly showed that the shooter was black. Many used this mistake to highlight other CNN statements, like when the network reported Donald Trump fell on stage at a campaign event when he was shot, or called the protest after the death of George Floyd “mostly peaceful” as cars burned in the background of the news report.
“They do know what he looks like. Male, possibly white, mustache, sunglasses.”
CNN’s Erin Burnett claims the active shooter in New York City is a “possibly white” male. pic.twitter.com/1qlOoRBAEx
— Thomas Hern (@ThomasMHern) July 28, 2025
Early reports also claimed the gun was equipped with a suppressor. Those rumors were false. They started when a picture was released from a security camera. The picture was low quality and made the sling appear to be a suppressor. Follow-up pictures were reviewed. The firearm did not have a suppressor.
Still, anti-gun zealots did take the opportunity to exploit the tragedy, including Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts, who called for a ban on all semi-automatic guns.
Security cam footage of the shooter earlier today in Manhattan.
Seems he wasn’t too concerned with following their “common sense” gun laws…#CityLife #manhattan #newyork #urban #decay pic.twitter.com/mex3qCBy4f
— Mrgunsngear (@Mrgunsngear) July 28, 2025
New York City has some of the strictest gun laws in the country. The firearm used in the shooting is illegal to have in the state, yet the murderer chose to violate the law. He also carried a 30-round magazine, which is also prohibited in the Empire State. The shooter had a Nevada concealed carry permit, which means he could pass a background check, highlighting the ineffectiveness of background checks. Many view these as examples of how gun control fails to keep people safe.
Law-abiding citizens were disarmed in the city, preventing them from defending themselves from this senseless attack. Just days earlier, at a Michigan Walmart, Marine Corps veteran Derrick Perry pulled his concealed handgun to stop a mass stabbing, possibly saving many lives.
Citizens of New York City do not have the advantage of being able to defend themselves. Even though New York does issue concealed carry permits, the laws make it difficult to acquire one and prohibit the carrying of a gun in many places. These laws only affect those who obey the law. Murderers by their nature do not.
Legally Armed Civilian & Brave Bystanders End Michigan Walmart Stabbing Spree ~ VIDEOS
MI Gov Whitmer Can’t Be Bothered to Thank Armed & Brave Citizens that Stopped Mass Stabbing Attack
About John Crump
Mr. Crump is an NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people from all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons, follow him on X at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
Someone waltzing down Park ave. with an M-4 in his hand and nobody said anything? Or DID anything? Oh yeah, that’s because most of the people in New York have been disarmed by their communist idealed government. So yeah, gun control does actually work, it works —- for the criminal, it works for cowardly, unconstitutional people in government office. Gun control deprives one of a basic right, the right to survive or a chance to survive. It’s a really sick feeling to be unarmed and cornered someplace when facing someone who is armed with anything. I know this, I have… Read more »
The laws did accomplish their intent. Wealthy and politically were safe. People, otherwise, are expendable.
Obviously, NYC needs stricter gun control laws. How can they keep residents and visitors safe with such lax gun laws in place? (Sarcasm)
When I first saw the photo of the shooter’s wallet and Las Vegas CWP, I groaned. You can bet the media and other Powers That Be will be using the shooter’s CWP as “a reason” to not pass any Nationwide Reciprocity bills, even though this would have happened whether the shooter had a permit or not.
https://halturnerradioshow.com/index.php/news-selections/national-news/active-shooter-midtown-manhattan-nyc-wearing-body-armor-multiple-victims
Why is it that no one wants to say the guy with a gun that stopped the stabbing in the Walmart was black? Pisses me off. There are good and bad in all races.
People don’t kill people, Guns don’t kill people. Gun control kills people. Andrew Pollack.
New York would be far better off requiring everyone to carry a gun and requiring a permit to not do so!
A black male in nuyak openly carrying a ar pistol did not get stopped by anyone kind of says gang bangers are common site
That looks like a rifle stock and not a pistol brace. But you can’t see the firearm because of the strap. I can see it’s just the strap and not a suppressor just by zooming in on the picture in this article! not the same one?
So-called gun control is only to control Citizens, NOT for anyone’s safety.
That kind of attack would have had much less chance of success in my state, OK, where CCLs are common. Even with good policing, limited manpower means you miss some threats. Armed citizenry is the best security force multiplier for active shooter attacks. I attended a charity event in OK’s tallest bldg recently. They had a half dozen security guards, but I was glad I was free to carry, for the protection of my family and others. Time for national reciprocity and limits on “gun-free zones”.