Man shot dead in Manhattan, identity confirmed as Blackstone executive
On Monday, a shocking incident unfolded in the heart of New York City when a gunman opened fire at the National Football League's (NFL) headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, leaving four innocent lives lost and several others injured. The gunman, identified as 27-year-old Shane Tamura, a former high school football player from Southern California, took his own life after the attack.
Tamura, who had a documented history of medical issues, particularly severe, frequent headaches, and reported mental health problems, was confirmed to have a history of seeking medical treatment, including visits to neurologists, yearly MRIs, and injections in the back of his head [2]. Investigators also found a note with Tamura referencing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease linked to repeated head injuries common in contact sports, which he believed he might have had. However, CTE can only be diagnosed post-mortem [4].
The shooting claimed the lives of New York Police Department officer Didarul Islam, who had served as a police officer in the city for three and a half years, and Wesley LePatner, an executive who served as CEO of the Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT). The LePatner family described their loss as an enormous, gaping hole that will never be filled [3]. Blackstone's statement about LePatner's death expressed profound grief and described him as embodying the best of Blackstone [3].
Islam was one of two New York police officers working as a paid security detail in the building, and LePatter joined Blackstone in 2014 after more than a decade at Goldman Sachs [1]. LePatter served on the boards of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Abraham Joshua Heschel School, the UJA-Federation of New York, and the Yale University Library Council. The Heschel School described LePatner as a uniquely brilliant and modest leader and parent [1].
The Rudin family, which operates the real estate firm Rudin Management in the building, confirmed that one of their employees was among those killed, but did not identify them [1]. Manny Pastreich, president of 32BJ, a union representing New York City workers, said Aland Etienne was killed in the shooting while Etienne worked as a security guard in the building [2].
The shooting suspect entered the building's lobby and immediately opened fire on Islam before shooting a woman hiding behind a pillar, a security guard taking cover behind a desk, and another man [1]. The gunman then rode the elevator to the offices of Rudin Management on the building's 33rd floor, where one person was fatally shot before the gunman shot himself in the chest [1].
The NFL told The New York Times one of its employees was seriously injured in the shooting, and the employee is currently in the hospital and in stable condition [2]. Two of the shooting victims have not been publicly identified [1].
This tragic event serves as a stark reminder of the senseless violence that can occur in our communities. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of the victims, as well as to the survivors of this heinous act.
References:
- The New York Times
- CNN
- Blackstone Press Release
- The Washington Post
The general-news story about the shooting incident in New York City has also highlighted Tamura's reported history of medical issues and mental health problems, which may have been a factor in his crime-and-justice actions. The politics of gun control and mental health care reform are once again at the forefront of discussions in light of this tragic event.
