Gabriel "Gabe" A. Ben-Meir '03 died on May 8, 2011, by gun violence. The Los Angeles resident was thirty.
Gabe was a physics major and a music major studying percussion and trumpet. He was on the tennis team and was a WKCO disc jockey.
He became an MTV music coordinator and was a production manager for the MTV program Punk'd, hosted by the actor Ashton Kutcher. He also worked on the reality stunt program Nitro Circus and the reality amateur-band program Top Pop Group.
Gabe was shot and killed execution-style during a robbery outside his home, moments after parking his car near his apartment building, Los Angeles police said. He was steps from his front door. Police later arrested three suspects who were charged in connection with the killing and that of another victim along with a series of armed robberies. A security video led to the arrests.
In a story in the Los Angeles Times, Gabe's sister, Alexis Ben-Meir, described her brother as "one of the kindest and most gentle souls I have ever come across." She added, "He was not only my brother but my best friend." A friend told RadarOnline.com, "He was one of the kindest, gentlest people I've ever known." And MTV Senior Vice President Nathaniel Brown said, "We are shocked and saddened by the tragic death of Gabe Ben-Meir, who was a valued member of the MTV family and a beloved and dedicated colleague and friend."
Scott Thielke, Lords head tennis coach, said Gabe was "a fun guy to be around." Thielke said, "Gabe was one of the guys on the tennis team who was always very positive and was always keeping the other guys entertained."