Victims of New York City’s deadliest shooting in a quarter century have been identified as a real estate executive and an associate, a police officer and a security guard.
All four victims were named on Tuesday, after gunman Shane Tamura, 27, shot them and then turned the gun on himself inside the skyscraper at 345 Park Avenue.
Tamura took the wrong elevator and wound up at real estate management and development firm Rudin Management instead of the National Football League (NFL) headquarters, according to law enforcement officials. His motive remains unknown, but authorities say he drove from Las Vegas to Midtown Manhattan and was upset with the NFL.
Here is everything we know about the victims so far.
Wesley LePatner: Blackstone executive
Real estate investment firm Blackstone confirmed that Wesley LePatner, 43, was killed in the rampage.
LePatner was in the lobby when she was gunned down.
She was one of the highest-ranked women at Blackstone, which has offices in the building.
‘We are heartbroken to share that our colleague, Wesley LePatner, was among those who lost their lives in the tragic incident at 345 Park Avenue,’ stated Blackstone.
‘Words cannot express the devastation we feel. Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed.’
The firm described LePatner as ‘brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected’.
‘She embodied the best of Blackstone,’ it stated.
‘Our prayers are with her husband, children and family. We are also saddened by the loss of the other innocent victims as well, including brave security personnel and NYPD.’
LePatner served as Blackstone’s global head of Core+ Real Estate and the CEO of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust (BREIT). She was also a member of the boards of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The UJA-Federation of New York and The Abraham Joshua Heschel School.
Didarul Islam: NYPD officer
New York Police Department officer Didarul Islam, 36, was the first person fatally shot by Tamura, shortly before 6.30pm. He was off-duty and working a security shift at the skyscraper.
Islam, an immigrant from Bangladesh, had two young boys and was soon to be a father-of-three with his pregnant wife who is due to give birth next month.
He had served on the force for more than three years.
‘He was doing the job that we asked him to do. He put himself in harm’s way. He made the ultimate sacrifice,’ said police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
‘He died as he lived. A hero.’
His cousin, Muhammad Mainul Islam, said his wife and family are ‘OK’.
‘But they are very tired, and always they are crying,’ he said.
The slain officer was a ‘very pious person’ who went to the mosque regularly and a ‘very nice guy’, his cousin said.
Aland Etienne: security guard
Aland Etienne, 46, a security officer, was also shot dead in the lobby.
He was identified by Manny Pastreich, the president of 32BJ of Service Employees International Union.
Etienne was ‘a dedicated security officer who took his job duties extremely seriously’, according to Pastreich.
‘We have been in touch with Aland Etienne’s family and are working with building management and the NYPD to support their investigation,’ stated Pastreich.
‘We are ensuring our members in the building receive the free union counseling and support services they deserve and need to manage this unspeakable loss.’
Pastreich added that Etienne’s sacrifice highlights what security officers do every day to keep New Yorkers and buildings safe.
‘Aland Etienne is a New York hero,’ he said.
‘We will remember him as such.’
Julia Hyman, Rudin Management associate
Tamura took the life of the fourth victim, Julia Hyman, 27, on the 33rd floor, in the offices of Rudin Management, which owns the building.
Sourced identified Hyman to News 4.
Rudin Management identified her as an employee but did not name her.
‘The Rudin family and everyone at our company are devastated by yesterday’s senseless tragedy,’ stated the firm.
‘Our thoughts and prayers are with those injured and lost last night, including our cherished Rudin colleague, a brave New York City police officer, a beloved lobby security guard and an employee at a tenant firm.’
Hyman graduated from Cornell University’s Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, according to her LinkedIn account. She was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, according to her Facebook profile.
She attended Riverdale Country School in the Bronx and was captain of the varsity lacrosse team at her high school.
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