NYC Shooter Kills 4 Uses Legally Transported Firearm From Nevada

Shane Tamura, the gunman who fatally shot four people including an off-duty NYPD officer in a Manhattan office building before killing himself, had a documented history of mental illness and legally transported an AR-15 rifle from Nevada to New York under the federal Gun Safe Passage Act. Though Tamura legally obtained a concealed carry permit in 2022, such permits cover handguns and do not authorize possession of rifles like the AR-15, which are illegal to purchase and possess in New York State. Tamura previously worked as an unarmed security guard and in surveillance at a Las Vegas casino, passing all background checks and showing no prior red flags. New York officials are investigating his motives and the circumstances that allowed him to carry the weapon into the city, while lawmakers call for stronger federal and state gun control measures, including red flag laws that could flag individuals with mental health histories. Governor Kathy Hochul's claim that the concealed carry permit allowed Tamura to possess the AR-15 was fact-checked as false, clarifying that New York does not recognize such permits from other states and specifically bans assault weapons. The shooting has reignited debates on gun control laws, enforcement, and mental health considerations nationwide.