By JAKE OFFENHARTZ

NEW YORK (AP) — The former high school football player who killed four people inside a Manhattan office tower that houses the headquarters of the NFL, and who blamed the league for hiding the dangers of brain injuries, was suffering from the degenerative brain disease CTE, New York’s medical examiner said Friday.

Related Articles

Hurricane Humberto and a tropical disturbance to impact the Caribbean and possibly the Southeast US

Federal agents fire chemicals as protesters try to block car at immigration site outside Chicago

Listeria found in Walmart meatball meals may be linked to deadly fettuccine outbreak

Assata Shakur, a fugitive Black militant sought by the US since 1979, dies in Cuba

Setbacks and hope as America’s oldest Black town fights for its survival

Shane Tamura, 27, had “unambiguous diagnostic evidence” of low-stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy, commonly known as CTE, according to the New York City medical examiner.

Tamura, a Las Vegas casino worker, shot himself in the chest after spraying bullets into the Manhattan office building on July 28, killing four people, including a police officer, a security guard and two people who worked at companies in the building.

He had traveled across the country intending to target the NFL office, officials said, but took the wrong elevator.

Among the dead were a police officer, a security guard and two people who worked at companies in the building. An NFL employee was badly wounded but survived.

In a three-page note found in his wallet, Tamura said he had chronic traumatic encephalopathy — diagnosable only after death — and implored those who found him: “Study my brain.”

FILE – This undated image provided by Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles shows Shane Tamura. (Nevada Dept. of Motor Vehicles via AP, File)

Among his grievances against the NFL was a claim that the league put its profits ahead of player safety by concealing the harm CTE, and football, can cause.

“There is no justification for the horrific and senseless acts that took place,” an NFL spokesperson said in response to the findings. “As the medical examiner notes ‘the science around this condition continues to evolve, and the physical and mental manifestations of CTE remain under study.’”

The disease affects regions of the brain involved with regulating behavior and emotions. It has been linked to concussions and other head trauma associated with contact sports, with evidence of the disease found in both professional and high school athletes.

After more than a decade of denial, the NFL conceded the link between football and CTE in 2016 testimony before Congress, and has so far paid more than $1.4 billion to retired players to settle concussion-related claims.

Tamura played high school football in California a decade ago but never played in the NFL.

Police have said Tamura had a history of mental illness. In September 2023, he was arrested on a misdemeanor trespassing charge after allegedly being told to leave a suburban Las Vegas casino and becoming agitated at being asked for his ID. Prosecutors later dismissed the case.

It was perhaps the most dramatic moment of the 2025 playoffs for Minnesota Wild fans.

With the best-of-seven series versus Vegas tied and two games each, and Game 5 tied 3-3 in the waning minutes of regulation, Ryan Hartman went hard to the Vegas net. With just 75 seconds left in the game, the puck went in. The red light went on, and with a smile his face, Hartman looked at the Wild bench and strutted to the corner of T-Mobile Arena, as the rink went mostly silent.

In that moment, the Wild were barely a minute away from heading back to St. Paul with a 3-2 lead in the series, needing a home win to reach the second round of the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

But just a minute or so later, the Golden Knights fans were roaring again. The play that led to Hartman’s goal was reviewed, and the video showed that Gustav Nyquist had entered the offensive zone with a skate roughly an inch over the blue line and ahead of the puck.

The goal came off the scoreboard. The game went to overtime. Vegas scored and took a 3-2 series lead back to Minnesota. The Knights would close out the series two days later.

Once again, Minnesotans were left wondering what might have been. And those Wild fans who spent the summer fixated on that one play were not alone.

“That goal stuck in my head along with a lot of other people. Obviously, hard,” Hartman said after a training camp practice at TRIA Rink. “But that’s hockey. There’s plays in every series where you wish you could have a goal back. Even if I score, we still have to win the hockey game. So, we move past that.”

For Hartman, who turned 31 in September, the last month of the 2024-25 season and the playoffs were about moving on, emphatically, from injuries and a suspension that had him shelved for eight games in February.

Just as he doesn’t dwell on the goal that was disallowed, Hartman has moved past the disciplinary action handed down by the NHL, and the play in Ottawa that led to it.

“It was a one play, you know? It’s not like I was going around cheap-shotting everyone. It was an unfortunate play that ended up in a suspension that I learned from and moved on,” said Hartman, who posted 11 goals and 15 assists in 69 regular-season games. “I’m still going to play the same way and play up to the line and not cross over. But for me to be my best, I’ve got to be engaged. physically and emotionally. That’s when I do my best.”

In the past, the Chicago native has spent much of the summer back in the Windy City. But after he and wife Lauren welcomed a daughter 13 months ago, they limited their Illinois time in 2025, coming back to Minnesota Aug. 1 to get settled in for training camp and his 12th NHL campaign.

“It’s a little different,” he said. “We used to be able to just kind of show up and get right into camp. Having a baby, it was nice to kind of get settled and get back on a routine before things started.”

The message from general manager Bill Guerin and Wild coaches when Hartman returned to the lineup in early March was that the second chances were gone. Hartman was fine playing up to the edge, but he and the team could no longer afford to go over it. For the regular season’s last two dozen games or so, that’s the player they got.

After returning from the suspension, Hartman played some effective hockey down the stretch, and after resisting the Knights’ attempts to goad him into penalties early in their series, averaged a point per game in the playoffs. Wild coaches expect more of the same from him this season, which begins with the season opener against Columbus on Oct. 11.

“It’s no mystery that if he plays with the intensity level and the discipline and the details he played with in the playoffs, he’s going to be a major impact for our team,” Wild coach John Hynes said.

Related Articles

Wild owner Craig Leipold pledges team will stay in St. Paul

Wild unveil 25th anniversary throwback sweater

Hunter Haight’s hard-charging ways earning notice by Wild

Wild’s Yakov Trenin back with new body, and approach

All quiet at Camp Kaprizov as preseason rolls on for Wild

After getting as much sleep as possible on an overnight transatlantic flight, the Vikings landed in Dublin and headed straight to practice.

The goal was to minimize jet lag as much as possible.

This is how the Vikings have typically handled international games under head coach Kevin O’Connell. They believe the best way to maximize performance in the short term is to avoid acclimating to the time change.

That won’t be an option on this 10-day trip across the pond.

After playing the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park in Dublin this weekend, the Vikings play the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London next weekend. It’s the first time in NFL history that a team will play consecutive international games in different countries.

“If this was me booking travel and bringing the orange slices after the game, I would not be this confident in our ability to go handle these trips,” O’Connell said with a laugh this week. “We’ve got unbelievable people at every layer that go into the planning.”

The anecdotal evidence already exists, as the Vikings have never lost an International game.

The resources put into this trip, in particular, from the top down are what gives the Vikings confidence they were the right team to take on this unprecedented feat. The attention to detail was on display last month, when different members of the organizations met with reporters to talk about the trip.

“I know each and every decision that’s being made is made out of the best interest of our players,” O’Connell said. “My confidence level that we’re going to come out of this saying, not only can it be done, it can be done the right way, is due to these folks next to me.”

Here is a deep dive into everything that went into getting ready to travel to Dublin and London:

Travel

Nobody thinks about passports more than director of team operations Paul Martin. As the person in charge of essentially everything related to travel, he’s been tracking them down ever since he got wind that this trip might be a possibility.

“The people in this building are probably a little sick of it because we do hound them constantly,” Martin said. “We are looking for these basically from the time the draft is over.”

Though every team handles passports differently when it comes to the international game, Martin has found that collecting them and storing them in a case under lock and key is the best way to go about it.

“We have done it since our first trip,” Martin said. “It’s really nice peace of mind to know that we’ve got them in hand and the dog didn’t eat it the night before.”

When he hasn’t been thinking about passports, Martin has been thinking about, well, everything else that goes into this trip from a logistical standpoint.

This is the first time the NFL has played an international game in Dublin. After the schedule was released in May, a large group of staff members from the Vikings went over in June to get a lay of the land.

“It wasn’t early enough,” Martin said. “Honestly, for me, I would’ve liked to go the day after this was announced.”

Some of the stops included the Dublin Airport (where the team would land), Irish Rugby Football Union High Performance Centre (where the team would practice), The Shelbourne (where the team would stay), Croke Park (where the team would play), and a couple of pubs to get immersed in the culture.

Luckily for the Vikings, they are quite familiar with London, having played there a number of times in the past. That familiarity should ease some of the stress once they get to that portion of the trip.

That the Vikings were selected as the guinea pigs for a trip like this hasn’t gone unnoticed across the NFL. It’s sparked some friendly ribbing from other teams. The common refrain was everybody saying they got screwed.

That’s not how the Vikings view it.

“You will not hear anything negative coming from us,” Martin said. “This is a positive.”

Equipment

The stress of an international game isn’t anything new for director of equipment services Mike Parson. He’s done it twice in London and once in Mexico City, using everything he’s learned on those trips as a compass for this trip.

“It’s a huge logistical undertaking,” Parson said. “We’re taking the whole operation and moving it overseas and trying to make it so the players and coaches don’t really feel it.”

It’s much more involved than helmets and shoulder pads.

In his role, Parson had to figure out everything each department needed for the trip, then he had to find a way to transport it to Dublin and London without a hitch. As a part of the process, he had to put together an international travel document for customs that listed everything the Vikings were taking with them.

There were also a bunch of supplies sent via a cargo ship on June 30 as a way to lessen the load on the actual departure date. Some of it arrived in Dublin last week, while the rest continued on to London. There will be a ferry from Dublin to London this week, too, that takes items the Vikings need in both locations.

Other stuff Parson has to account for is equipment needed for practices and games, medical devices used for recovery, food and beverage, as well as luggage for all 195 people in the traveling party.

“It consumes our life until the trip is over,” Parson said. “There are plenty of mornings or nights when I wake up and I think of Dublin.”

Not that he ever thought about backing down.

“It was a challenge that we all wanted to take on,” Parson said. “Especially to be the first team to be able to do it.”

Health

In a perfect world for vice president of player health and performance Tyler Williams, he would be able to control the circadian rhythm of everybody on the team. He knows that’s impossible, so he enlisted the help of melatonin to help people fall asleep and caffeine to help people stay awake.

That will be key as the Vikings adjust to the time change in Dublin and London. If everything goes according to plan over the next 10 days, the Vikings will be at their peak against the Steelers and the Browns.

“We want these players to be the best versions of themselves when they hit the field,” Williams said. “We really just stuck to our fundamental principles and said, ‘What allows us to peak on game day when we travel?”

As much as he’s invested in the sleep schedules of everybody on the team, Williams is most concerned with preparing for the worst. If a player needs care in Dublin or London at any point, Williams has to be able to responded without hesitation.

That was on display a few years ago, when former safety Lewis Cine suffered a gruesome leg injury in London. As he reflected on that experience, Williams noted Cine was transported to a local hospital and having surgery within 45 minutes.

“You always worry about that,” Williams said. “That’s why we go through those emergency action plans.”

The hope for the Vikings is they won’t have to deal with anything close to that over the next 10 days. The amount of preparation that everybody involved has been put in, however, speaks to how seriously they’re taking every part of this trip.

“I feel like what makes this advantageous to take this on as the Vikings are the people,” Williams said. “I wouldn’t want any other organization to take this on other than us.”

Nutrition

Perhaps the most important part for head performance dietician Ben Hawkins as he was planning meals for this trip was making sure the players had the proper condiments. That meant sending pallets of ranch dressing and barbecue sauce well in advance.

“Ultimately, our goal is to give the players the best home away from home,” Hawkins said. “We’re thinking about everything that can’t be sourced over there that they’re accustomed to having here.”

As soon the Vikings landed in Dublin, Hawkins had a barista-style espresso station waiting upon arrival, as well as an individualized hydration plan for each player. He also has some food trucks set up in London, courtesy of the Vikings, offering everything from wings to fish and chips.

In total, Hawkins estimated that the Vikings will serve more than 7,000 meals across Dublin and London, sticking to some of the staples that players are used to while also leaning into some of the local cuisine.

“It’s about comfort,” Hawkins said. “If the players can walk into the meal room in Dublin or in London and it feels more like home, then they can focus entirely on football.”

Marketing

As amped as the Vikings are for the games, director of international market Keisha Wyatt might be even more excited about the opportunity off the field. The trip to Dublin and London is a chance for the Vikings to continue to grow their brand.

There are various fan activations already planned by the Vikings, including J.R. Mahon’s Public House & Brewery serving as the official team pub in Dublin, and Redwood serving as the official team pub in London.

There are a number of player appearances planned, including legendary defensive tackle John Randle and fan favorite tight end Kyle Rudolph in Dublin, as well as legendary receiver Cris Carter in London.

The reach of the Vikings will also extend beyond the city limits in London, as they have purchased billboards across the country in in Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, New Castle and even Edinburgh.

As for the actual games, Wyatt said the Vikings are hoping that their fans can make up 40 percent of Croke Park, and they’re hoping that number can jump and their fans can make up 60 percent of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“We have fans coming from across the world to see our team,” Wyatt said. “That is a massive win for the organization.”

Related Articles

Vikings at Steelers: What to know ahead of Week 4 matchup

Vikings-Steelers picks: Why our staff thinks Minnesota rolls

The Loop NFL Picks: Week 4

Carson Wentz or J.J. McCarthy? Vikings will soon have a decision to make

Jordan Addison returns from suspension ready to produce for the Vikings

Mayor Eric Adams’ administration announced two new development projects on city-owned sites, highlighting a recent trend in activating vacant and underutilized public land for housing.

Adams administration officials at 390 Kent Ave., a city-owned property in Brooklyn where City Hall plans to build 900 apartments. (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office)

New York has a housing crisis, but it’s also short on space. One potential solution? Build on land that the city owns but isn’t using.

That was the idea behind Mayor Adams’ executive order last year that required city agencies to find land that could be used for housing.

That effort has resulted in plans to build 11 projects and nearly 1,000 homes, Adams said in a press conference Thursday morning. “Where past administrations saw vacant lots and old office buildings, our administration saw housing,” he said.

He highlighted two new proposals on the Williamsburg waterfront and along the East River In East Harlem, where officials hope to build 900 and 800 homes, respectively. One-quarter of those homes would be set aside as affordable housing, Adams said.

The nine other projects include three library renovations with housing on top, the redevelopment of the old Flushing airfield, and the replacement of the Department of Housing, Preservation and Development’s office on 100 Gold St.

Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrión said that a city task force, convened in response to Adams’ executive order last year, identified 13,000 potential development sites in total.

Two of the projects have begun public engagement. The rest are still requesting proposals from developers. Some may require review through the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Process.

Seeing housing in the ground may take time, even when experts say there is a dire shortage.

“We have been clear that the only way out of our housing crisis is to build more housing, and that is exactly what we are doing,” said Adams.

Here’s what else happened in housing this week—

ICYMI, from City Limits:

Speaking of city-owned land: the City Council approved a plan to build supportive housing on the campus of Jacobi Hospital, where apartments would be set aside for people with health issues who are coming out of jail. Last week, Mayor Eric Adams abruptly pulled his support for the project—which was first proposed in 2022—but lawmakers voted it through anyway, also over the objections of the councilmember whose district it lands in.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under President Trump introduced an English-only policy last month, phasing out all of its materials in other languages. While local agencies that administer HUD programs will continue to offer translation services, tenants in buildings directly subsidized by HUD, such as project-based Section 8, may face hurdles, experts said.

Also feeling the rental squeeze? The city’s arts organizations. Learn more about BronxArtSpace, a gallery and exhibition space that’s found an affordable home in Hunts Point.

We need to turn the lights off in New York City’s buildings at night to protect birds from collisions, writes Assemblymember Harvey Epstein and Kathy Nizzari, founder of the Lights Out Coalition.

ICYMI, from other local newsrooms:

After many delays and community protests, a task force approved a plan to redevelop the Brooklyn Marine Terminal along Red Hook’s waterfront with thousands of new apartments, according to The City.

A record number of people moved out of shelter using CityFHEPS vouchers last year, Gothamist reported.

The city may pony up $2 billion to build a platform over a Manhattan rail yard so mega-developer Related Companies can build out the rest of Hudson Yards with “mostly luxury housing,” according to the New York Times.

Thousands of rent-stabilized apartments across Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and the Bronx will be auctioned off after falling into bankruptcy, Bloomberg reported.  

Learn more about the housing-related ballot measures up for a vote this fall, via NY1.

To reach the reporter behind this story, contact Patrick@citylimits.org. To reach the editor, contact Jeanmarie@citylimits.org

The post More Housing On City-Owned Land, and What Else Happened This Week in Housing appeared first on City Limits.