Shane Tamura: Gunman who killed 4 in Midtown Manhattan identified as former Southern California highs school football star
A former Southern California football standout has been identified as the gunman who killed four people inside a Midtown Manhattan building Monday, including an off-duty police officer.
The 27-year-old gunman, identified as Shane Tamura, played football while attending Granada Hills Charter School in Los Angeles County.
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Those who knew Tamura when he was a young athlete say they never saw any signs of any problems and that all he was focused on was football.
Tamura, wearing body armor and carrying an M4 assault rifle, shot and killed four people, including an off-duty New York Police Department officer who was working security in the Midtown Manhattan office building.
After apparently barricading himself on the 33rd floor, Tamura was found dead from what is believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
File video shows young Tamura celebrating a win out on the gridiron for Granada Hills Charter school, where he graduated in 2016 after transferring from Golden Valley High School in Santa Clarita.
Tamura is heard in the video saying, "Definitely had to stay disciplined. The coach just kept telling us don't hold your heads down...hold your heads up high and then a good result's gonna come."
Now, his former teammates are speaking out after learning Tamura is accused of the killings.
One teammate described Tamura as a "goofball."
Another, who didn't want to be identified, said Tamura was a good guy.
"He was a great teammate. He was a great guy in general. He didn't cause any problems actually at all in the locker room or on the field," he said. "He was just a guy who really enjoyed the sport, not problematic at all so when I found out the news, I was really shocked, I really couldn't believe it."
There are also reports that one of Tamura's parents may have been a retired Los Angeles Police Department member.
The LAPD put out a statement regarding those reports that read in part:
"The Los Angeles Police Department is aware of the online rumors and media inquiries suggesting a possible connection between the individual involved in the recent New York shooting and our department. We take these matters seriously and are actively investigating the information. At this time, we are working to confirm details and gather the facts."
The department added that they expect to have more information soon.
During a press conference on Monday evening, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Tamura had a "documented mental health history." He recently drove from Las Vegas to New York, and officers found additional ammunition, a revolver, a backpack, and medication inside his vehicle.
The initial investigation shows his vehicle traveled through Colorado on July 26, then Nebraska and Iowa on July 27, and then in Columbia, New Jersey, as recently as 4:24 p.m. on Monday, with his vehicle entering New York City shortly thereafter, Tisch said.
Tamura recently lived in Las Vegas, where he was issued a concealed firearms permit by the Las Vegas Police Department. He was previously issued a work card by the Nevada Private Investigators Licensing Board, which has since expired, according to records reviewed by ABC News. His last known address was in a gated community in Las Vegas.
The motive for the deadly shooting is currently under investigation, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said earlier on Monday.
ABC News contributed to this report.
