NYC shooter draws Luigi Mangione comparisons

Wesley LePatner, an employee with Blackstone, was one of the four confirmed victims killed by Shane Devon Tamura, with many now comparing the rampage to Luigi Mangione’s shooting of a UnitedHealthcare CEO, Knewz.com can reveal. The investment management company shared its disbelief at LePatner’s passing in a heartbreaking statement.

“Words cannot express the devastation we feel,” the statement read. “Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed. She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous and deeply respected within our firm and beyond. She embodied the best of Blackstone. Our prayers are with her husband, children and family.” According to the investigation, LePatner was believed to be hiding behind a pillar when she was shot and killed by the crazed gunman, who claimed to have suffered from CTE, a degenerative brain disease associated with frequent head injuries.

LePatner worked as the Senior Managing Director of Real Estate in New York at Blackstone, according to the company’s website. She was also the Global Head of Core+ Real Estate and the Chief Executive Officer of Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust. News of LePatner’s background led many to recall Mangione’s alleged crime: The 27-year-old is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. “I mean, it’s scary the precedent that Luigi started,” one comment on a social forum read. “This example is similar – the guy was mad at the NFL and wanted his revenge, but in contrast, he ended up miscalculating and killing people who were completely unrelated to this issue.” Tamura was found with a note in his back pocket. In the latter, he pleaded for his brain to be studied and noted that he’d targeted the NFL.

Another person in the forum claimed, “Someone called him a folk hero just for shooting a cop, and others are saying that he’s like Luigi.” Said a second user, “Another Luigi Mangione?” A third chimed in, “Luigi got his target and spared bystanders. He should be in jail, and that CEO didn’t deserve to die, but I can see how it’s easier to be sympathetic to him vs this reckless shooting that only killed bystanders.” One theorized, “Keep making life difficult for the average working class and you’ll get more Luigis.” Mangione faces several federal charges.

Surveillance footage captured Tamura carrying an M4 rifle while walking into 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, where the NFL headquarters are located, on Monday, July 28. Upon entering the building, he “immediately opened fire” on NYPD officer Didarul Islam, who was later branded a “hero.” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said of Islam, “He was doing the job that we asked him to do. He put himself in harm’s way, he made the ultimate sacrifice – shot in cold blood, wearing a uniform that stood for the promise that he made to the city.” After he killed Islam, Tamur — who was not affiliated with any political party — took the elevator to the 33rd floor, where he shot LePatner, 46-year-old security officer Aland Etienne and Rudin Management employee Julia Hyman. Tamura, who had a “documented mental health history,” according to Commissioner Tisch, died after the attack.