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(Monday, June 25, 1906, 11:05 p.m. local time) — Prominent architect Stanford White was shot and killed late tonight atop Madison Square Garden (second), a building he designed, in a sensational killing that stunned a fashionable theater crowd.

Police said the gunman, Pittsburgh millionaire Harry K. Thaw, fired three shots at close range shortly before 11 p.m. during the closing moments of the musical comedy Mam’zelle Champagne at the rooftop theater. White was struck in the face and shoulder and died instantly, witnesses said.

Authorities said Thaw appeared to act out of jealousy and long-standing resentment involving his wife, Evelyn Nesbit, a well-known model and actress. Thaw and Nesbit had dined earlier in the evening at a nearby restaurant, where they encountered White, before attending the performance.

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Witnesses reported that Thaw, dressed in evening attire with a dark overcoat despite the warm weather, approached White’s table several times before the shooting. During the finale, he drew a pistol and fired from a distance of only a few feet.

Initial confusion swept through the crowd, with some believing the gunfire to be part of the entertainment. Panic followed as it became clear White had been mortally wounded. Thaw was quickly subdued and taken into police custody.

Accounts differed on statements Thaw made immediately after the shooting, though several witnesses said he accused White of wrongdoing against his wife.

Nesbit fled the scene amid the commotion and later sought refuge with friends, according to reports.