As the largest police force in the country searched for the masked shooter who killed the head of one of the biggest health insurance firms in the United States in front of midtown Manhattan video cameras, he was still at large Thursday.
Brian Thompson, 50, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, lost his life in Wednesday’s early ambush. Blocks away from popular tourist destinations like the Museum of Modern Art and Radio City Music Hall, Thompson was strolling to the company’s yearly investor meeting at a Midtown Hilton.
The phrases “deny, defend, and depose” were permanently inscribed on the ammo used by the gunman, according to a law enforcement official. The official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, was not permitted to publicly discuss specifics of the current inquiry.
The ammunition’s text might have alluded to tactics insurance firms employ in an effort to evade paying claims.
Additionally, police reported that they believe the suspect purchased a protein bar wrapper and water bottle from a Starbucks just prior to the shooting after finding them in a trash can close to the ambush site. The city’s medical examiner was testing the items.
The New York City Police Department has released this photo of a guy who is wanted for interrogation in relation to the investigation into the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. (AP via the New York City Police Department)AP
What took place?
According to police, Thompson was shot by someone who approached him from behind at approximately 6:45 a.m. as he was making his way to the company’s annual investor meeting at the New York Hilton Midtown.
According to investigators, Thompson was alone himself and lacked security.
NYPD detective chief Joseph Kenny said officers discovered him on the ground with injuries to his right leg and back. At 7:12 a.m., the CEO was declared deceased at a local hospital.
How much do we know about the gunman?
According to Kenny, the shooter had on a unique gray bag, black-and-white sneakers, and a black face mask.
After arriving outside the hotel approximately five minutes ahead of Thompson, he waited and disregarded other pedestrians before coming up behind Thompson.
His 9 mm weapon jammed when the attacker started shooting, but he swiftly rectified it and continued to fire, Kenny claimed.
Kenny stated that based on the footage, it appears that he is skilled with firearms because he was able to rapidly fix the problems.
After crashing into an alleyway close to the hotel, the gunman mounted his e-bike and rode toward Central Park.
At first, police claimed that the shooter entered Central Park on a bicycle from CitiBike, the city’s bike-share program. However, according to a representative for Lyft, the program’s operator, police officers told the business Wednesday afternoon that the bike was not part of the CitiBike fleet.
It was unclear whether the cellphone that police discovered in the alleyway belonged to the shooter, according to Kenny.
On Wednesday, December 4, 2024, in New York, bullets are lying on the pavement outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan, where UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed. (Photo by Stefan Jeremiah for AP)
About the search, what do we know?
As of Thursday night, authorities have made public fresh images of a person they claimed was wanted for interrogation in relation to the shooting, taken inside the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
Police had visited, according to a hostel staffer, but they would not provide further details. The hostel is working with the NYPD and is unable to comment on the investigation, according to spokeswoman Danielle Brumfitt.
According to the employee, the search led investigators to Kama Central Park, another hostel in the area, on Thursday morning. Two detectives showed up at 7 a.m. and inquired if staff members recognized a picture of the gunman. According to the employee, they didn’t.
The suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is shown in this collection of photos from the New York City Police Department outside a hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, where the health insurer was hosting an investor conference. (AP via the New York City Police Department)AP
Brian Thompson was who?
Thompson oversaw UnitedHealthcare, the parent business UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s insurance division.
He had been with the company for twenty years, and since 2021, he had been in charge of its insurance branch in Minnetonka, Minnesota. With an annual remuneration package of $10.2 million, he was among the top paid executives in the corporation.
While Andrew Witty, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group Inc., assumed a more visible role, including appearing before Congress, Thompson maintained a low profile.
After completing his studies at the University of Iowa, Thompson began working as a certified public accountant. He was married, had two high school-age sons, and resided in the Maple Grove suburb of Minneapolis.
Paulette Thompson, his wife, told NBC News that her husband said he had been threatened by several individuals. Although she lacked specifics, she hinted that they might have something to do with problems with insurance coverage.
Eric Werner, the chief of police in Maple Grove, stated that no threats against the executive had been reported to his department.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!
