Life Insurance Company in New York Bids Adieu with Farewell Note - Suspected gunman in New York tragedy pens goodbye message before lethal act
In a shocking turn of events, a shooting incident in a high-rise in Manhattan on Monday evening has left five individuals, including an officer from the NYPD, dead. The suspected perpetrator, a 27-year-old from Las Vegas, reportedly entered the building armed with an assault rifle and opened fire.
According to law enforcement sources, the suspect's vehicle contained several weapons, ammunition, and personal items. A suicide note left by the suspect suggests a possible motive: the National Football League (NFL) and its handling of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
CTE is a progressive degenerative brain disease that primarily affects boxers, rugby, and football players due to head impacts. Research from Boston University’s CTE Center quantifies the connection between football and CTE: the risk of developing CTE increases by 30% for each year played, doubling every 2.6 years of football participation. Among studied former NFL players, nearly 92% were diagnosed with CTE.
The suspect, who was a standout athlete in his younger years and a promising football player in high school, believed he was suffering from CTE and requested his brain be examined. He mentioned two players in the NFL who committed suicide in 2005 in connection with a brain disease in his suicide note.
The identities of the other three victims have not yet been released. However, it has been confirmed that one of the victims was an employee of the NFL, according to the NFL's statement.
Despite NFL efforts such as new rules and helmet designs intended to reduce head trauma, experts argue these measures are insufficient. Research also indicates that repetitive head blows, even at young ages, may reduce brain white matter, potentially leading to cognitive and behavioral problems whether or not full CTE develops.
The public and scientific focus on the NFL’s role in CTE continues to highlight the long-term neurological risks associated with repeated concussions and sub-concussive impacts in professional football.
Unfortunately, this tragic incident comes at a time when there have been no significant progress in implementing stricter gun laws in the US following violent incidents. The suspect's journey took him through multiple states in the US in the days leading up to the crime, passing through Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, and New Jersey before reaching New York.
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the complex interplay between mental health, sports, and gun violence, and the urgent need for comprehensive solutions to address these issues.
[1] McKee, A. C., et al. (2019). Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in athletes: Progression, pathophysiology, and management. Lancet Neurology, 18(1), 63-73. [2] Omalu, B. I., et al. (2017). Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in a college football player. Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, 76(12), 1349-1358.
- Jessica Tisch, a New York resident, might have felt a sense of sorrow and loss upon hearing the news about the shooting incident in Manhattan, particularly since one of the victims was confirmed to be an employee of the NFL.
- Science and medical-conditions have been at the forefront of discussions regarding the NFL, as research has link football to a higher risk of developing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).
- CTE, a progressive degenerative brain disease, has been extensively studied by Boston University’s CTE Center, showing a connection between football and CTE, with the risk increasing by 30% for each year played.
- The suspect, a football player in his youth, believed he was suffering from CTE and requested his brain be examined, citing two NFL players who committed suicide in 2005 in his farewell letter.
- The US media, including outlets like CNN and NBC, have been reporting on this incident and its potential motive involving the NFL's handling of CTE.
- Despite efforts by the NFL to reduce head trauma through new rules and helmet designs, experts argue these measures are insufficient, with research suggesting that repeated head blows can lead to cognitive and behavioral problems.
- The tragedy in Manhattan underscores the complex interplay between mental health, sports, and gun violence, and emphasizes the need for comprehensive solutions to address these issues, but unfortunately, there has been no significant progress in implementing stricter gun laws in the US following violent incidents.
