Gun owner with a history of arrests and psychiatric holds in Manhattan allegedly carried out a shooting; query on how such an individual managed to acquire firearms arises.
In a tragic incident in Midtown Manhattan, Shane Devon Tamura, a man with a concealed carry permit from his home state of Nevada, carried out a shooting at a office building, resulting in four fatalities and injuries to another.
Tamura's weapon of choice was an AR-15 style weapon, a type that has been associated with some of the nation's deadliest mass shootings. The gun used in the shooting was legally purchased by Tamura's supervisor at a Vegas casino where he worked.
Under federal law, an unlicensed person buying a firearm directly from a gun dealer must undergo a background check. However, those with concealed carry permits may be exempt. This loophole is particularly evident in the case of Tamura, who was able to acquire the weapon through a private sale.
In contrast, Nevada state law, implemented in January 2020, mandates background checks on all private firearm sales within the state. This means that sellers must verify that buyers are eligible via a background check, making private sales more regulated than under federal law.
Despite these stricter regulations, there are still areas where improvements can be made. For example, mental health is barely touched upon when a person applies for a gun license in most states. In Tamura's case, he was placed on psychiatric hold in 2022 and 2024, raising questions about the effectiveness of the background check system in addressing mental health issues.
The lack of funding and resistance from groups combating the sharing of mental health records with the National Crime Information Center and local law enforcement further complicate matters. If a person was on a 48-hour psychiatric hold and released at the end, it would not affect their ability to possess firearms under federal law.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has called for a national assault weapon ban in response to the shooting. She accused GOP counterparts of being "intimidated by the gun lobby."
One survivor of the shooting, Sebije Nelovic, an office cleaner who came face-to-face with the gunman, has shared his harrowing experience. Meanwhile, the New York City's chief medical examiner's office will test Tamura's remains for CTE, a disease linked to head trauma.
As the nation continues to grapple with gun violence, the case of Shane Devon Tamura serves as a stark reminder of the need for comprehensive gun laws and a more effective background check system, particularly in addressing mental health issues.
- The shooting at a Midtown Manhattan office building, carried out by Shane Devon Tamura, highlights the need for more effective background check systems, especially in regards to mental health.
- Despite stricter regulations in Nevada, such as mandated background checks on private firearm sales, loopholes, like the one that allowed Tamura's acquisition of an AR-15 style weapon, remain.
- The case of Shane Devon Tamura also raises questions about the lack of funding and resistance to sharing mental health records, which could potentially improve the background check system and address mental health issues in gun ownership.
