Dr. Henry Bello had previously worked at the hospital and had been forced to resign two years prior amid sexual harassment allegations, after which he reportedly vowed to come back and kill his coworkers.

All the victims seemed to be randomly targeted, with a doctor at the scene claiming that Bello was searching for a specific worker at the hospital who he had previously threatened. Bello died after barricading himself inside the hospital and turning the gun on himself.

Dr. Tracy Tam was killed in the attack while filling in for a colleague, and had never even met the killer before, having joined the hospital after Bello was forced to resign. She was described as selfless, hardworking, and dedicated, and has been honored with the Tracy Tam Memorial Alumni Award for Compassion at the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Midtown, where she had received her doctorate in 2013.

As of April 2019, a lawsuit was still in progress where Justin Timperio, who was shot and injured in the attack, is suing Bronx–Lebanon over security lapses that potentially allowed Bello to enter the hospital, possibly using an expired access card.