Man in Manhattan shooting had mental health issues and had multiple encounters with the Las Vegas police force, police records reveal
In the wake of the recent mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan, questions have arisen about the perpetrator's mental health history and whether it could have played a role in the tragedy.
Shane Devon Tamura, the gunman responsible for the fatal incident, had a history of mental health-related issues. According to reports, Tamura struggled with bipolar disorder, anxiety, and depression. He also suffered from depression, insomnia, migraines, and lingering symptoms from a sports injury-related concussion.
Federal law prohibits individuals from possessing firearms if they have been adjudicated as mentally ill or committed to a mental institution. However, it's important to note that merely having multiple psychiatric holds or a documented mental health history does not automatically bar firearm possession under federal law.
Tamura was committed to a mental health facility twice in his hometown of Las Vegas. Yet, for federal law to disqualify an individual from firearm ownership due to mental health, a person must have undergone either a court adjudication declaring them mentally defective or incompetent, or an involuntary commitment to a mental institution.
In Tamura's case, it remains unclear whether these commitments were involuntary or if they led to a court adjudication. Short-term "mental health holds" or emergency hospitalizations are often not reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), so they usually do not appear in background checks during firearm purchases.
State laws may impose additional restrictions in this area. For instance, some states have laws that prohibit gun possession following certain mental health crisis interventions or emergency hospitalizations, but these laws vary widely by state.
The federal prohibition is aimed at ensuring public safety while balancing constitutional rights under the Second Amendment. However, gaps remain; people with certain mental health histories who have not been formally adjudicated or involuntarily committed may still legally own firearms.
In the aftermath of the shooting, police executed a search warrant at Tamura's Las Vegas apartment and found several items, including a bipod for a rifle, an empty Colt gun case, miscellaneous 9mm ammunition, a single rifle cartridge, a notebook containing what appeared to be a goodbye note, multiple prescription bottles, and a vehicle title.
The day after the shooting in New York, Tamura was armed with an AR-15 style rifle, making it the city's deadliest mass shooting in 25 years. The incident has sparked renewed discussions about mental health and gun control in the United States.
As the investigation into Tamura's actions continues, it's crucial to remember that mental health issues are complex and multifaceted. The connection between mental health and violence is not straightforward, and it's essential to approach these issues with empathy, understanding, and a commitment to finding effective solutions.
- Due to his history of mental health-related issues, including bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, depression, insomnia, migraines, and lingering symptoms from a sports injury-related concussion, Shane Devon Tamura was committed to a mental health facility twice in his hometown of Las Vegas.
- Federal law, though it prohibits individuals from possessing firearms if they have been adjudicated as mentally ill or committed to a mental institution, does not automatically bar firearm possession under federal law for those with documented mental health histories.
- In Tamura's case, it remains unclear whether his commitments were involuntary or if they led to a court adjudication, and short-term "mental health holds" or emergency hospitalizations are often not reported to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), making it possible for individuals like Tamura to legally own firearms.
- The connection between mental health and violence is not straightforward, and discussions about mental health and gun control in the United States, such as those sparked by the recent mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan, should approach these complex issues with empathy, understanding, and a commitment to finding effective solutions.
