STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
We have the sound of a multi-faith vigil in Bryant Park, which is a patch of green space amid the skyscrapers of Manhattan.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (Chanting in non-English language).
INSKEEP: People gathered to remember four people killed at a New York office building this week. This morning, we have new information about the shooter, and that's why we turn to NPR's Sarah Ventre, who's in New York. Good morning.
SARAH VENTRE, BYLINE: Good morning, Steve.
INSKEEP: What have you learned?
VENTRE: Well, authorities have released a little bit more information about the shooter, 27-year-old Shane Tamura. They said they found a suicide note which mentioned CTE. That's chronic traumatic encephalopathy. It's a disease that's known to affect football players who have had traumatic brain injuries. We know that Tamura was a star high school football player in California about a decade ago. In the note, Tamura claimed to be suffering from CTE, and he blames the National Football League, which has offices in that building. Some of the symptoms of CTE include impulsive behavior, depression and suicidality, but it can only be diagnosed through an autopsy. In the note, Tamura wrote, study my brain. I'm sorry.
INSKEEP: Appreciate this acknowledgment. We don't know that he had CTE, but this was his concern. Has the NFL responded to what he said?
VENTRE: Well, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell did release a statement saying the league is grateful to law enforcement officers who responded to the threat. NFL employees in New York were also instructed to work remotely yesterday or take the day off, and there was additional security in place. But we have not seen any response to the concerns about CTE, which has been an issue for a long time. More than 300 NFL players have been diagnosed with CTE after they died. And a notable forensic pathologist told NPR in 2015 that the NFL responded to his research by accusing him of fraud. So there are still a lot of questions there.
INSKEEP: And we should be clear. This person did not play in the NFL.
VENTRE: Correct.
INSKEEP: And we don't know what his condition was, but he raised the concern, and it has been a real concern. Let's turn to another aspect of this. Are you learning more about the victims?
VENTRE: Yeah. So initially, the only victim named was Didarul Islam. He was the off-duty NYPD officer who was shot and killed. His body has been brought to a mosque in the Bronx, which is where he lived, in preparation for his burial. We also learned the names of the other deceased. Wesley LePatner was an employee at the asset management firm Blackstone, which also had offices in the building. Aland Etienne was a security officer in the building and a member of the Service Employees International Union. And Julia Hyman was an associate at Rudin Management, a real estate company. And the NFL also said that one of its employees was seriously wounded and is in the hospital.
INSKEEP: How are New York and other elected officials responding to this?
VENTRE: Well, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York state Governor Kathy Hochul spoke at last night's vigil about the need for better gun control policies. Beyond that, the investigation is continuing. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Tamura assembled the gun himself and bought several parts of the rifle from a man they want to question. And NYPD detectives are also searching Tamura's home in Las Vegas and conducting interviews there.
INSKEEP: NPR's Sarah Ventre is in New York City. Thanks so much.
VENTRE: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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