New York, NY

In a shocking and tragic attack that rocked Manhattan, 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura opened fire at 345 Park Avenue—home to the NFL's headquarters—killing four people and injuring another before turning the gun on himself. The July 28 attack marks the deadliest mass shooting in New York City in more than two decades. But while the city mourns, the media narrative is already being shaped—and distorted—by familiar patterns of omission and bias.

A Premeditated Massacre

Armed with an M4-style rifle and wearing a bulletproof vest, Tamura walked calmly into the building, shot a security officer in the lobby, then proceeded to the 33rd floor. Police later revealed that Tamura's intended target was the NFL office itself, but he mistakenly took the wrong elevator and arrived at the offices of Rudin Management instead.

Victims include Officer Didarul Islam, a decorated NYPD officer and expectant father; Aland Etienne, a beloved union security guard; Wesley LePatner, a managing director at Blackstone and mother of two; and Julia Hyman, a rising real estate professional with Rudin. An NFL employee was also critically wounded.

A Suicide Note, CTE, and a Blame Game

Police recovered a rambling, multi-page suicide note in which Tamura blamed the NFL for long-term trauma he believed he suffered from playing high school football. He pleaded with authorities to study his brain for signs of CTE, the degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head injuries. "Study my brain, please. I'm sorry," he wrote.

Yet despite his lack of any professional football experience, Tamura's manifesto portrayed himself as a martyr of the NFL system. He had driven from Nevada to New York and scoped out the NFL building days before the attack.

Selective Silence: Media Ignores the Shooter's Background

One glaring omission in the aftermath coverage? Tamura’s ethnicity. Despite being publicly identified by NYPD as Shane Devon Tamura, of Asian descent, left-leaning outlets like MSNBC, CNN, and The New York Times ran extensive coverage without once noting his ethnic background.

Contrast that with prior shootings where the perpetrator was white and outlets wasted no time connecting race, ideology, and systemic guilt. But when the facts don’t serve the progressive narrative of "white male violence," the ethnicity gets conveniently erased.

By ignoring Tamura’s background, these outlets continue a troubling double standard: race is only relevant when it reinforces a political narrative. And once again, victims—especially Officer Islam, a Muslim-American and expectant father—are buried beneath the need to protect ideological consistency.

What They Did Mention Instead

Rather than acknowledge the shooter's background, corporate media rushed to frame the event through the lens of mental health, gun control, and anti-NFL sentiment. Articles from CNN focused on Tamura's CTE claims. The New York Times discussed his mental health crisis and preparations, but omitted any demographic descriptors. MSNBC focused on workplace violence legislation.

None mentioned the ethnicity of the shooter. Not once. Because in their eyes, the narrative matters more than the truth.

Politicians Pounce: Gun Control Demands Surge

In the hours following the attack, Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul quickly issued statements offering condolences to the victims' families and praising the fast response of NYPD. But their remarks didn't stop there.

Adams blamed the shooting on the availability of "weapons of war" and renewed calls for stronger national gun control, despite New York already having some of the strictest gun laws in the country.

Governor Hochul echoed his tone, saying, "We cannot wait any longer. We need federal action."

Left-wing lawmakers seized on the tragedy to renew efforts for sweeping gun legislation. But critics pointed out the uncomfortable truth: Tamura obtained his firearm outside of New York. He crossed state lines and bypassed local restrictions—a reminder that criminals, by definition, do not obey gun laws.

The push for more laws in a city already suffocating under tight regulations only highlights the futility of gun control as a one-size-fits-all solution. Law-abiding citizens are left defenseless, while violent individuals slip through the cracks.

Tragedy, Justice, and the Need for Truth

This shooting is a tragedy. But it’s also a case study in how corporate media manipulates public perception by deciding which facts deserve attention. When we filter truth through political lenses, we blind ourselves to the real questions: How did a known mental health risk obtain a military-style weapon? Why weren’t his threats taken seriously? And why is racial identity only weaponized when it serves the woke agenda?

A grieving city deserves justice. But justice starts with truth. And the truth doesn't bend to narrative.

References

• Financial Times – NYC Shooting: Gunman Kills Four at NFL Building
• CBS News – Officer Among Victims in NYC Shooting
• ABC News – Shooter's CTE Letter Recovered
• AP News – NYC Mass Shooter Identified
• The Sun – Victims of NFL Shooting Identified