Why is NFL being blamed for NYC shooting? Mayor reveals shocking twist

A chilling scene unfolded on the evening of July 28, 2025: a gunman stormed into the lobby of 345 Park Avenue, the Midtown Manhattan tower housing NFL’s headquarters and several major firms. As word spread of a mass shooting, speculation swirled online that the NFL was somehow responsible.

But was the NFL truly at fault, or just in the wrong place at the wrong time? In the aftermath, New York City officials, including Mayor Eric Adams, addressed mounting questions over why the NFL was being blamed for the NYC shooting. What emerged was a deeply disturbing narrative involving an apparent grievance over brain injury linked to contact football—and a tragic case of mistaken direction.

What really happened: NFL blamed by shooter, Mayor reveals the twist

The crux of the controversy lies in the gunman’s motive and a bizarre elevator mix‑up. Investigators have identified the shooter as 27‑year‑old Shane Devon Tamura from Las Vegas, who carried a three‑page note blaming the NFL for giving him CTE, a degenerative brain disease associated with repeated head trauma in contact sports . In his rambling message, he demanded, “Study my brain, please,” suggesting he believed the league concealed the risks of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a condition he thought ruined his life.

Mayor Eric Adams, speaking to CBS Mornings and other media, confirmed that Tamura “appeared to have blamed the NFL for his injury” . The building the shooter entered houses both the NFL and other tenants, including Rudin Management and Blackstone. Adams explained the shocking twist: Tamura entered the wrong elevator bank, and instead of reaching NFL offices on lower levels, he ended up on the 33rd floor at Rudin Management, where he carried out the killings.

The fatalities included four victims: among them, NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, off‑duty and working security, who was killed heroically protecting others; and Wesley LePatner, a senior executive at Blackstone . A fifth person was critically wounded, later reported stable, including an NFL employee hospitalized after the attack. Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner, described the incident as “an unspeakable act of violence in our building,” and vowed enhanced security for league staff.

So why was the NFL being blamed? It wasn’t corporate culpability or policy or some hidden scandal, it was the gunman’s personal vendetta, based on an unverified claim that the league caused his imagined brain injury. Adams was clear: Tamura “seemed to have blamed the NFL” based solely on this personal grievance.

Mayor Adams has since ordered flags at half‑staff and called for cooperation with federal partners to dig deeper into Tamura’s history, including potential social media cues and prior mental health crises. New York Governor Kathy Hochul weighed in, reinforcing the need for stronger gun control measures and community mental health support