‘Documented mental health history’: Who was Shane Tamura? What we know about the Manhattan building shooter
A shooting at a Midtown Manhattan office building on Monday evening left five people dead, including a New York City police officer and the suspected gunman, according to police.The suspected gunman, identified as Shane Tamura died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.Mayor Eric Adams called the attack a “senseless act of violence” and said officials are still working to understand the motive.“We lost four souls to another act of senseless violence,” Adams said at a late-night briefing, excluding the gunman from the death toll.
Who was Shane Devon Tamura?
- The suspected gunman behind the deadly Midtown Manhattan office shooting has been identified as Shane Devon Tamura, a 27-year-old originally from Hawaii who later moved to Las Vegas.
- Tamura opened fire at a high-rise office building on Park Avenue on Monday evening, killing four civilians and an NYPD officer before turning the weapon on himself.
- Authorities told the Associated Press that, Tamura had a documented history of
mental health issues , though his exact motive remains unclear. - “We are working to understand why he targeted this particular location,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch during a press briefing.
- A concealed carry permit issued in Las Vegas in July 2022, bearing Tamura’s photo, was found at the scene.
- Surveillance footage showed him exiting a black BMW, armed with a .223-caliber Palmetto State Armory AR-15-style rifle equipped with a black scope, handguard, and shoulder sling.
- The gun, priced around $420, was reportedly the same one used during the attack, New York Post reported.
- Police said that Tamura first shot an officer stationed at the building’s entrance, then opened fire on a woman trying to flee, followed by a security guard and another man inside the lobby.
- He later shot himself at the scene. Police later found a revolver, ammunition, and extra magazines in his vehicle.
- While an official biography is yet to be confirmed, unverified reports suggest Tamura was a former high school football player, having played as a running back at Granada Hills High School in California.
- A former teammate, Caleb Clarke, described him as “a goofball” and “class clown,” full of energy, according to NBC.
- The shooting took place at
345 Park Avenue , a prominent high-rise that houses major institutions including Blackstone, the National Football League, and the Irish Consulate. - According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Tamura immediately opened fire at the entrance, shooting a uniformed officer before turning the weapon on others inside.
- A woman who tried to flee was gunned down, followed by a security guard behind a desk and another man in the lobby.
- Emergency crews responded swiftly to the scene, where four civilians were found dead and a fifth was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
- The slain officer was pronounced dead at the hospital. Authorities have not released the names of the victims, and the investigation is ongoing.
- Investigators are still piecing together the full timeline and motivation behind the attack.
