Blackstone Executive Wesley LePatner Among Victims of Midtown NYC Mass Shooting
- Jul 29
- 3 min read
29 July 2025
On the evening of Monday, July 28, 2025, New York City was rocked by a mass shooting at 345 Park Avenue, a Midtown Manhattan office tower housing major firms including Blackstone and the NFL. As hosts of countless deals and global business operations, the building was an unlikely venue for tragedy. But inside the lobby, an M4 rifle wielding gunman opened fire, leaving four people dead and several others injured. Among those killed was Wesley LePatner, a senior Blackstone executive and beloved colleague whose legacy extended far beyond finance.
LePatner was described by Blackstone as “brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond.” She served as global head of Core+ Real Estate and CEO of the Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust. As chair of Blackstone’s Women’s Initiative she championed greater inclusion and representation in one of the world’s most influential investment firms. A Yale alumna and former Goldman Sachs executive, LePatner was also a mother of two, married to Evan LePatner, and served on the boards of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, UJA-Federation of New York, and the Abraham Joshua Heschel School. Her leadership and philanthropic reach earned her the Alan C. Greenberg Young Leadership Award in 2023.
Also killed was NYPD Officer Didarul Islam, a 36-year-old Bangladeshi immigrant and father of two whose wife is expecting their third child. Islam was off-duty, working a second job as a security officer when he was shot in the lobby after entering the building to help calm the panic. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch called him a hero who died protecting others.
A Rudin Management employee, a 27-year-old woman, also lost her life on the building’s 33rd floor. She was identified by her employer, which expressed deep grief over the loss of a valued staff member.
Authorities identified the gunman as 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura from Las Vegas, with a documented history of mental health struggles. He entered the building shortly before 6:30 p.m., firing first in the lobby before taking an elevator to the 33rd floor, claiming in a note that he blamed the NFL for chronic traumatic encephalopathy and demanded his brain be studied after his death. The building houses NFL offices, but investigators say Tamura took the wrong elevator and shot at employees of Rudin Management instead. He later turned the gun on himself.
The attack caused chaos across Midtown. Blackstone closed its offices on Tuesday, calling it the worst day in the firm’s 40-year history. Many employees sheltered in place, barricading office doors with furniture as the shooter roamed. Offices of KPMG, Loeb & Loeb, and other tenants also closed out of caution.
Security officials at the NFL pledged heightened measures at their offices in response. Local leaders, including Mayor Eric Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul, condemned the violence and used the moment to renew calls for strengthened assault weapons legislation. Flags were ordered lowered on state buildings to honor the victims until their funerals.
Wesley LePatner left a powerful legacy of mentorship, professionalism, and civic engagement. She was a trustee at multiple nonprofit institutions and was recognized for her advocacy of diversity in corporate leadership. UJA-Federation of New York called her extraordinary personally, professionally, and philanthropically and mourned the loss of a board member and friend.
In the aftermath, Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman and President Jon Gray sent internal notes expressing heartbreak and grief. The firm arranged a Zoom meeting to support staff while they processed the loss. Colleagues described LePatner as someone who inspired others through both high standards and personal warmth.
This tragedy also rekindled debate around gun policy, workplace safety, and mental health intervention. NYPD affirmed that Tamura had recent mental health holds in Nevada, and investigators are reviewing how the weapon was acquired. The note left behind opened broader conversations about the intersection of sports injuries, brain trauma, and violent intent.
In its statement, Blackstone said they mourn not just an employee, but a “beloved member of the Blackstone family,” emphasizing that LePatner “embodied the best of Blackstone.” Her vision extended beyond real estate deals to shaping future leaders through intentional advocacy and commitment to equity.
The shooting claimed innocent lives in a building once considered a private venue for high finance. In the wake of this violence the financial district paused. Yet amid grief there is recognition particularly of LePatner and Islam’s legacies. Wesley LePatner may have been struck down in her prime, but her impact through philanthropy, diversity leadership, and sheer personal warmth continues
Comments