Blackstone to reopen New York office one week after shooting

By Isla Binnie and Niket Nishant

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Blackstone told employees on Friday it will reopen its New York headquarters on August 4, a week after shuttering it in the wake of a shooting that killed four people including one of its executives.

The world’s largest alternative asset manager explained the move in a memo sent to staff, the contents of which were later confirmed by a spokesperson. 

The office at 345 Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan will be open on Monday, but people will also have the option to work remotely, the memo said. 

The company expects a return to normal working schedules the following week, but if anyone is uncomfortable returning, the company plans to make accommodations. 

Police have said 27-year-old Las Vegas resident Shane Tamura was not targeting Blackstone when he entered the building on July 28 and shot senior executive Wesley LePatner, police officer Didarul Islam, private security officer Aland Etienne and Julia Hyman, who was working as an associate at building landlord Rudin Management.

Blackstone has been working with Rudin, the New York Police Department, and outside contractors to reinforce security in New York and globally, the memo added. It also repeated a previous offer of counseling to staff members who want it.

The building also houses consultants KPMG and the headquarters of the National Football League.

The memo was first reported by Bloomberg News.

(Reporting by Isla Binnie in New York and Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and Chizu Nomiyama )