NEWSUnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Shot Dead in 'Targeted Attack' Outside Hilton Hotel in New York City
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead at 50.
Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth's insurance division, was brutally shot dead at 50 early on Wednesday, December 4, outside the Hilton hotel in New York City.
The shooting took place at around 6:46 a.m. outside the Sixth Avenue hotel, where a masked gunman repeatedly shot Thompson in what police referred to as a "brazen, targeted" attack.
There is currently a manhunt for Brian Thompson's shooter.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch revealed that the attacker specifically targeted Thompson.
Despite numerous pedestrians passing by, the gunman waited for his intended victim, firing as soon as Thompson approached the hotel.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said, "The shooter steps onto the sidewalk from behind the car, he ignores numerous other pedestrians, approaches the victim from behind and shoots him in the back. The shooter then walks toward the victim and continues to shoot."
Despite several attempts by first responders to resuscitate him with CPR, he was pronounced dead at Roosevelt Hospital at 7:12 a.m.
Brian Thompson was repeatedly shot by a masked gunman around 6:46 a.m.
According to the police, the mysterious gunman fled the scene on an electric Citi Bike, disappearing into Central Park.
A manhunt is currently underway, with a $10,000 reward offered for information about the incident.
The police reportedly recovered three live 9-millimeter rounds and three discharged shell casings at the scene.
In a statement following the shooting, Kenny said, "The motive for this murder currently is unknown, but based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear that the victim was specifically targeted. But at this point, we do not know why."
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Police were at the scene of the shooting outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown.
The news of Thompson's tragic death sent shockwaves through the investors' conference, which he was reportedly attending.
Colleagues described the CEO as a well-respected professional and a cherished individual.
UnitedHealth Group, the parent company under which Thompson served, expressed deep sorrow over the tragic event.
One investor who previously dined with the late businessman called him "a stand up guy" and "a good dude."
The company, known as the largest private health insurer in the U.S. and ranked fourth in the Fortune 500, highlighted Thompson's significant contributions during his 20-year tenure and recent appointment as CEO in 2021.
Surveillance images captured the murder suspect outside the Midtown hotel.
The CEO leaves behind his wife, Paulette 'Pauley' Thompson, 51, and two children in Minneapolis, Minn.
Reports surfaced that the family had received threats prior to the incident, although the details remain unclear.
The late businessman's wife told NBC, "There had been some threats ... I don't know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him."
