Las Vegas Casino Supervisor Sold Gunman the Rifle Used in Deadly NYC Shooting

Two days after a deadly shooting at a Manhattan office tower in New York claimed four lives, NYC Police on Wednesday revealed that shooter Shane Devon Tamura had acquired the AR‑15-style rifle from his supervisor at Horseshoe Las Vegas, where Tamura worked in casino surveillance, according to a report published by The Associated Press. 

The gun was sold for a sum of $1,400, the New York police reportedly said.

Earlier reports suggested that the supervisor had merely provided parts of the weapon, but investigating officials confirmed Wednesday that he legally provided the complete firearm to the slain shooter.

Tamura’s tragic path and motives

The 27-year-old reportedly drove from Las Vegas to New York after missing his shift and carried out the rampage at 345 Park Avenue, the building housing the National Football League (NFL) headquarters and major firms like Blackstone, as reported by Reuters. In a suicide note cited by the US-based news agency, Tamura claimed to suffer from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), blaming the NFL for concealing the dangers of brain injuries.

Victims of the deadly shooting included NYPD officer Didarul Islam, security guard Aland Etienne, real estate executive Wesley LePatner, and Julia Hyman, a Rudin Management associate. A fifth person, an NFL staffer, was critically injured but is expected to survive, according to Reuters.

Mental health history and investigation ongoing

Reports suggest Tamura had a documented history of mental illness and psychiatric holds. Records show that his private security license in Nevada expired in December, and he was previously arrested for trespassing in September 2023, per the AP report.

According to the report, investigators found psychiatric medication and ammunition at his Las Vegas apartment, as well as additional firearms component. 

NYPD detectives in Las Vegas, meanwhile, are executing search warrants, interviewing associates, and tracing Tamura’s steps from Vegas to New York.

Friends and former classmates spoke of Tamura as a quiet man, and neighbors said his family faded into the background of a typically tight-knit Las Vegas street. according to The Associated Press.

The supervisor who sold him the rifle has not been charged, the report said.