Blackstone has announced that Wesley LePatner, one of its top executives, was one of the four people k!lled in the horrible mass shooting at the company’s Park Avenue office building in New York City on July 28.
The global investment firm Blackstone released a statement with PEOPLE saying that they were sad to hear of LePatner’s de@th. They called her a talented, passionate, kind, and generous leader who was highly respected both within Blackstone and in the industry as a whole.
The company added that words can’t describe how terrible we feel. Everyone in the Blackstone family loved Wesley, and they will miss him very much. She was the best of Blackstone. We pray for her husband, children, and family.
Three additional people d!ed in the shooting, which happened in the lobby of the building. One of them was Didarul Islam, an off-duty NYPD officer, and another was a member of the security team. A lot of other people were hurt. The Wall Street Journal says that LePatner was shot and k!lled in the foyer. Reports say that other Blackstone workers are getting care at nearby hospitals.
When the gunfire rang out, staff utilized email and Microsoft Teams to warn each other and find safety.
LePatner was in charge of two important parts of Blackstone’s business: she was the CEO of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT) and the Global Head of Core+ Real Estate. She graduated from Yale University and had worked for the company since 2014. She was largely seen as a leader in the investment field.
In February 2025, she was made an Elective Trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was hoped that her leadership would help the museum achieve its goals. At the time of her nomination, board co-chairs Candace K. Beinecke and Hamilton “Tony” E. James noted that Wesley’s profound knowledge and expertise would be a huge benefit to the Board.
LePatner was also a mother of two and a strong supporter of diversity and inclusion in the financial world. She was a strong supporter of fairness in the workplace as head of Blackstone’s Women’s Initiative.
She told Leaders Magazine that inclusive leadership is very important. “As investors, our job is to see around corners and spot patterns.” It’s really important to have a wide range of points of view at the table. But it’s not enough to just get them there; you also need to make sure they can speak up.
She said that her early career growth was due to bosses that pushed her to speak up, express her ideas, and learn from feedback. She remarked that help made a big impact in her career.
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the alleged gunman, 44-year-old Shane Devon Tamura of Las Vegas, opened fire in the foyer of the building with an M4 rifle before riding the elevator to the 33rd story, where he shot himself in the head and d!ed. According to NBC News, officials eventually determined that Tamura has a documented history of mental illness.
During the event, the building, which is also home to the National Football League’s offices, was put on lockdown. Roger Goodell, the NFL Commissioner, said in a note to his staff that an NFL employee was gravely hurt in the incident and is still in the hospital in stable condition.
Goodell wrote, “Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this senseless act of violence.” We are helping his family and NFL staff are at the hospital.
As the investigation goes on, more and more people are paying tribute to LePatner, a respected businesswoman, devoted mother, and persistent fighter for change. Her legacy, her coworkers say, will go on.