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What is Blackstone, the investment giant caught in crossfire of the Midtown shooting?
By
Catalina Gonella
and
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jul 29, 2025
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Brittany Kriegstein / Gothamist
By
Catalina Gonella
and
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jul 29, 2025
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An executive at global investment firm Blackstone was one of the four people shot and killed Monday at a Midtown office building, the company said as authorities worked to piece together what happened.
Wesley LePatner was killed in the shooting at 345 Park Ave., a large office building that city officials said houses various companies, including the National Football League, Rudin Management and Blackstone, which is headquartered there. She is listed on Blackstone’s website as a senior managing director who leads real estate investments.
The company, which police do not believe was targeted, said LePatner was a “brilliant, passionate, warm, generous and deeply respected” colleague and said she is survived by her husband and children.
According to her company bio, LePatner was previously a managing director of real estate investments at Goldman Sachs, where she started her career. She graduated from Yale University and served on the boards of various organizations, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and UJA-Federation of New York.
In a statement, the UJA-Federation of New York said LePatner “was extraordinary in every way” and “an exceptional leader in the financial world.” The organization said it gave her an award for young leaders in 2023 and praised her work as “a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field.”
Blackstone manages investments that fall outside of conventional stocks, bonds and cash — such as private equity, hedge funds and real estate. The firm has been a financial behemoth since its founding in 1985 and says it currently has $1.2 trillion in assets under its management.
Wesley LePatner
Blackstone
Blackstone is one of the world’s largest landlords and has faced criticism from some tenants and affordable housing advocates over how it manages properties. Climate activists have also panned the company for its investments in fossil fuels. Authorities have given no indication that the gunman was targeting Blackstone and are instead exploring whether he was aiming to attack the building’s NFL offices.
Didarul Islam, a 36-year-old NYPD officer, was also killed in the shooting while working a paid security detail in uniform, according to officials. A security guard and a second woman were also killed.
Officials identified the gunman as 27-year-old Las Vegas resident Shane Tamura and said he was acting alone. Mayor Eric Adams said early Tuesday that authorities were investigating whether Tamura may have been trying to target NFL offices in the building, citing a note allegedly tied to Tamura that mentioned chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a neurodegenerative disease linked to repeated head trauma that commonly affects professional football players.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
Tagged
manhattan
midtown
new york city
public safety
Catalina Gonella
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Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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