Jewish executive among those killed in New York shooting

A Jewish businesswoman was among those shot and killed in an attack in New York City last night, with tributes paid to her passion and generosity.

Wesley LePatner, 43, was a senior executive at the Blackstone investment management company, which was targeted on Monday evening by a shooter wielding an assault rifle.

The gunman, identified by the police as Shane Tamura, 27, shot and killed an NYPD police officer, Didarul Islam, in the lobby of a New York skyscraper, before taking the lift to the 33rd floor, where he murdered LePatner and two of her colleagues, before turning his weapon on himself.

LePatner, who was married with two young children, was a board member of the UJA Federation of New York, one of the largest Jewish philanthropic organisations in the world. She was also a board member at the Heschel School, a pluralistic Jewish day school in the heart of New York. In 2023, she won the UJA’s Alan C Greenberg Young Leadership Award.

The UJA Federation said it was “devastated by the tragic loss.

“We mourn the loss of a life taken far too soon, and extend our heartfelt condolences to her husband Evan, her children, and her entire family. May Wesley’s memory be for a blessing – and a lasting source of strength and inspiration.”

Avital Chizik-Goldschmidt, co-founder of Manhattan’s Altneu Synagogue, posted on social media that she was “broken” at the news.

“Our dear friend, mentor, community member & builder Wesley LePatner was killed in yesterday’s shooting. Daughter, wife, mother, leader in so many ways. The kindest & sharpest human being. A nightmare that we can’t wake up from. No words. Holding her family in our aching hearts. Zivah Mychal bat Aryeh Leib z”l”

LePatner was Blackstone’s global head of real estate. A statement released by the company said: “Words cannot express the devastation we feel…she was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond…Our prayers are with her husband, children and her family.”

Tamura’s motive has not yet been confirmed, although police have said that he had a “documented mental health history”. Speaking to MSNBC, New York Mayor Eric Adams referenced a note left by Tamura, which referred to referenced chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – a condition linked to head trauma, which is most commonly associated with American Football players. He also noted that the headquarters of the National Football League (NFL) were housed in the same building targeted by the shooter.