Senior managing director of Blackstone, LePatner, meets tragic end in Manhattan gunfire incident
In a heartbreaking incident, Wesley LePatner, a senior managing director at Blackstone and a leading figure in the real estate industry, lost her life in a mass shooting in Manhattan on July 28, 2025. She was 43 years old.
LePatner, a Goldman Sachs alumna and graduate with highest honors from Yale University, was remembered for her professional achievements and her meaningful contributions to the cultural sector. The LePatner family, in a statement, described her as a driven and extraordinarily talented professional and colleague, a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, and relative, and a beloved, fiercely loyal, and caring friend.
At Blackstone, LePatner was a senior executive, leading the real estate investment trust business and overseeing a $53 billion real estate fund. She was also the senior managing director and global head of Core+ real estate and chief executive of BREIT, a real estate fund aimed at retail investors. Her work at Blackstone earned her recognition as an "outsized force" and a "giant in the real estate industry" by Blackstone's Gray.
LePatner's impact extended beyond the investment community. She was elected as a trustee to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's board in February 2025, where she actively served on the investment committee and the visiting committee for European Paintings. Her role at the Met extended beyond governance to active engagement with the institution’s educational and artistic programs, reflecting her broad intellectual and philanthropic interests. Olivia John, CEO of Osso Capital, described LePatner as an advocate for women in the industry.
The shooting of LePatner was a random incident and not specifically targeted at her or Blackstone. Shane Tamura, a 27-year-old Las Vegas resident, was the shooter, killing LePatner and three others before taking his own life.
LePatner was honored with a leadership award by the UJA in 2023 for leading a mission to Israel following a Hamas attack. The UJA described her as extraordinary in every way - personally, professionally, and philanthropically.
The LePatner family requested privacy to mourn, but expressed their gratitude for the outpouring of support from the community. They intend to carry on the remarkable legacy Wesley LePatner created.
Blackstone, an investment firm with approximately 2,000 New York-based staff, mourns the loss of a beloved colleague. LePatner was remembered as someone who brought joy, energy, and passion to the workplace, and her absence will be deeply felt.
[1] The New York Times - Wesley LePatner, 43, Blackstone Executive, Dies in Manhattan Shooting [2] The Wall Street Journal - Blackstone Mourns Loss of Senior Executive Wesley LePatner [3] The Metropolitan Museum of Art - Remembering Wesley LePatner, Trustee and Friend [4] The UJA - UJA Mourns the Loss of Wesley LePatner, Extraordinary Leader and Philanthropist [5] Yale University - Wesley LePatner, 43, Remembers as a Trailblazer and Inspiration
- Despite her tragic demise in a shooting incident, Wesley LePatner's legacy in the real estate industry, cultural sector, and philanthropy continues to be a topic of discussion in general-news publications, such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
- The shooting of Wesley LePatner, a prominent figure in the real estate industry and a trustee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has sparked conversations not only within the investment community but also in crime-and-justice circles, with The Metropolitan Museum of Art issuing a remembrance and The UJA expressing sorrow for the loss of an extraordinary leader.
