Arnal, 52, was found unconscious and unresponsive outside a luxury 57-story skyscraper near Tribeca at around 12:30 p.m. Friday, the NYPD said in a statement Sunday. Police said the man “appears to have suffered injuries indicative of a fall from a height”. EMS responded and declared the man dead, police said.
Law enforcement sources told CNN on Sunday that Arnal’s wife witnessed his jump. The source said that although no suicide note was found, there was no criminal suspicion.
The New York City Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the cause of death and the investigation is ongoing, the NYPD said. CNN has reached out to the medical examiner’s office but received no immediate response.
Responding to Arnal’s death, a Bed Bath & Beyond spokesman said it was “deeply saddened by this shocking loss.”
In a statement Sunday, Harriet Edelman, independent chairman of Bed Bath & Beyond’s board of directors, said: “I would like to extend my sincerest condolences to Gustavo’s family.”
Edelman added: “Our focus is to support his family and his team, and our thoughts are with them during this sad and difficult time. Please join us in respecting the family’s privacy.”
Arnal joined Bed Bath & Beyond Inc., the statement said. In May 2020, worked in finance at Avon, Walgreens Boots Alliance and Procter & Gamble.
Edelman said Arnal “has been instrumental in guiding the organization throughout the coronavirus pandemic, changing the company’s financial foundation and building a strong and talented team. He is also a respected colleague in the financial community.”
Arnal has been named as a defendant in a class-action lawsuit alleging that he, Ryan Cohen and other major shareholders engaged in a “pump-and-sell” scheme that artificially inflated the company’s stock price.
The lawsuit was filed on August 23 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The lawsuit alleges that Arnal and others made misleading statements and omissions in communicating with investors about BBBY’s strategic plans and financial condition, and delayed disclosures about holding and selling its own stock.
The lawsuit also alleges that stakeholders shared false revenue figures and that the company planned to spin off its “Buy Buy Baby” brand to fuel a stock-buying frenzy.
Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health issues, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988 to speak with a trained counselor or visit the NSPL website.