Thomas H. Lee Cause Of Death: How did the NYC billionaire financier die?

Thomas H. Lee, a multimillionaire banker, and investor was discovered dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his Manhattan office on Thursday morning, according to police sources.

Around 11:10 a.m., police responded to a 911 call at 767 Fifth Avenue, where Thomas H. Lee Capital, LLC is situated on the sixth floor, according to the sources.

At the scene, EMTs declared the 78-year-old businessman dead. The chief medical examiner’s office will establish the official cause of death.

“The family is extremely saddened by Tom’s death. While the world knew him as one of the pioneers in the private equity business and a successful businessman, we knew him as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, sibling, friend, and philanthropist who always put others’ needs before his own,” Michael Sitrick, a close friend and spokesman for the Lee family, said in a statement.

Lee is credited as being among the first financiers to invest in businesses by borrowing funds against the target company, a practice that is today known as a leveraged buyout.

In addition to founding Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P., the Harvard grad also served as chairman and CEO of its predecessors.

The founder of private equity acquired Snapple in 1992 and sold it for $1.7 billion two years later, making 32 times his initial investment.