Blackstone executive Wesley LePatner among 4 killed in shooting at firm’s NYC office
A Blackstone executive was among the four people killed in a shooting that took place Monday night at the firm’s New York City office, the firm said in a statement on Tuesday.
Wesley LePatner was a senior managing director and global head of Blackstone’s Core+ Real Estate and CEO of its Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust.
LePatner was shot and killed Monday night at 345 Park Avenue, the office building the firm shares with the NFL. The gunman, identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura by NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, killed four people, including LePatner and NYPD officer Didarul Islam, before shooting and killing himself.
Tamura entered the building around 6:30 p.m. ET and began shooting throughout the lobby before taking an elevator to the 33rd floor, which houses the offices of real estate firm Rudin Management, owner of 345 Park Avenue, according to statements from the NYPD made during a press conference on Monday night.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said during the press conference that a suicide note found on the gunman’s body implied that he was targeting the NFL. “He alluded to having CTE from playing in the NFL — he never played in the NFL,” Adams said in a television interview Tuesday with a local Fox affiliate. “He alluded to the CTE being the reason for his illness.”
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain disease linked with high-impact head injuries. An NFL employee was in critical condition on Tuesday, according to a letter sent to NFL staff from commissioner Roger Goodell.
LePatner had worked at Blackstone for just shy of 11 years, according to her LinkedIn profile, and previously held several roles across Goldman Sachs’ real estate division.
“Words cannot express the devastation we feel,” Blackstone said in a statement. “She was brilliant, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond. She embodied the best of Blackstone.”
Jake Conley is a breaking news reporter covering US equities for Yahoo Finance. Follow him on X at @byjakeconley or email him at jake.conley@yahooinc.com.
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