The gunman, who took his own life, was identified as Shane Tamura, 27.
The man who fatally shot four people at a New York City office tower Monday, including an off-duty police officer, and wounded a fifth before taking his own life, was a standout high school football player in Southern California before becoming a Las Vegas resident.
Police identified the gunman as Shane Tamura, 27, and said he killed himself. He had a “documented mental health history,” but the motive is still unknown, police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
In Southern California, Tamura played football a decade ago at Golden Valley High School in Santa Clarita before transferring to and playing at Granada Hills Charter High School in the San Fernando Valley.
Tamura was a running back in high school and carried the ball 139 times for 774 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior at Golden Valley in 2014, according to high school sports website Maxpreps.com. Dan Kelley, who coached Tamura that season, declined to comment.
He transferred to Granada Hills Charter High School of the CIF Los Angeles City Section for his senior season in 2015, where he ran for 616 yards and five touchdowns on 126 carries. He added an additional 229 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 25 catches.
In a Sept. 18, 2015, game in which Granada Hills defeated Kennedy High School, Tamura, a tailback, scored the winning touchdown and was interviewed by the Los Angeles Daily News.
Tamura was a “good, little high school player” who was fast and elusive, according to former L.A. Daily News freelance sports writer Jack Pollon. He added that Tamura didn’t seem to have NFL-level talent.
“He helped his team that year, seemed like he wanted to do well and be a football guy,” Pollon said in a text message to the Southern California News Group.
