A mass shooting at 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan resulted in the deaths of four, including an NYPD officer. On the evening of July 28, shots were fired from a lone gunman authorities say was 27-year-old Shane Tamura. The armed shooter entered the office building that houses multible companies, including private equity firm Blackstone, as well as KPMG and the National Football League.
According to WSJ.com and others, one police officer and three civilians were killed, with at least one another in critical condition. One of those civilians was a Blackstone executive, according to reports. The crisis ended when the shooter took his own life.
Bloomberg reported Tuesday morning that Wesley LePatner, who headed Blackstone's $53 billion real estate strategy for affluent investors, BREIT, was shot and killed Monday during the incident.
“Words cannot express the devastation we feel. Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed,” Blackstone told Bloomberg in an emailed statement, describing LePatner as "brilliant, passionate, warm, generous and deeply respected within our firm and beyond.”
LePatner, who came aboard in 2014, led Blackstone’s core-plus real estate division, a key segment for the asset management giant. She advanced swiftly within the firm as the business expanded, and earlier this year was named chief executive of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, BREIT, which holds stakes in data centers, apartment complexes and industrial warehouses.
Before joining Blackstone, she spent over 10 years at Goldman Sachs.
Security footage captured Tamura exiting a black BMW before opening fire in the building’s lobby. Among the first victims were Officer Didarul Islam, 36, and a woman. Officer Islam, a four-year NYPD veteran from Bangladesh, was off-duty, working a private security detail.
After the initial shooting, Tamura proceeded to kill a security guard near the elevator and then rode to the 33rd floor, home to Rudin Management. There, he fatally shot another person before turning the gun on himself. Police have not yet released the names of the other three deceased victims, pending family notification. The motive remains unknown, though authorities confirmed Tamura had a documented mental health history.
Police recovered Tamura's vehicle, which contained multiple firearms, ammunition, and prescription medication. New York City police commissioner Jessica Tisch acknowledged the lingering questions surrounding Tamura's choice of target and motives, while calling for patience as the investigation continues.
Added second to fifth paragraphs with additional details from Bloomberg.
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