United Health care CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday morning in a “brazen, targeted attack” as he walked towards the hotel hosting the company’s annual investor conference, according to New York police.
The killer is on the run. But police officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is still going on say that the attacker may have left behind some important clues while running away.
Nearly 7 a.m., an unknown person in a mask “laid in wait” outside the Hilton Midtown before shooting Thompson. This was according to Jessica Tisch, commissioner of the NYPD.
“A lot of people walked by the suspect, but he seemed to be waiting for his target,” she said at a news conference on Wednesday. “Just to be clear, there are a lot of signs right now that this was a targeted, premeditated attack.”
Tisch said the shooter came up behind Thompson and shot him at least once in the back and once in the right calf. Responding first responders took Thompson to Mount Sinai West in critical condition, but at 7:12 a.m., he was pronounced dead there.
ABC News reported that police sources said the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” were written on shell casings found at the scene. CNN tried to get the New York Police Department to comment, but they said they couldn’t.
It is not clear why the shooting happened, and police have not said what it was for. CNN was told by someone who knew about the investigation that United Health care’s parent company, United Health Group, knew that high-level executives were under threat.
The threats did not name Thompson, the source said. “There had been some threats” against Thompson’s husband, his wife Paulette told NBC News.
“Hmm, I do not know, a lack of coverage?” “I do not know the specifics,” she said. “All I know is that he said some people were making threats against him.”
Paulette Thompson would not talk to CNN about the threats she told NBC about.
“It breaks our hearts to hear about the senseless death of our beloved Brian,” she told CNN on Wednesday. “Brian lived his life to the fullest and touched so many people’s lives. He was loving, kind, and talented.” Brian was most importantly a loving father to our two sons, and they will miss him a lot.
A person familiar with the company’s security said that United Health Group’s leadership team is helped by an in-house security team. This was true at the New York conference as well. Thompson’s bodyguards were not with him when the shooting happened early in the morning.
Video shows shooting unfold
Thompson was getting ready for the investor conference at the Hilton when he was shot. He had just left a hotel across the street.
Law enforcement officials and firearm experts say Thompson, who was visiting from Minnesota, was shot with a gun that looked like it had a silencer on it.
CNN got a hold of a surveillance video that shows the shooting as described by police. The attacker walked out from behind a car onto the sidewalk, did not care about other people, and shot the victim from behind, according to police.
The shooter got closer and kept firing until the gun seemed to stop working. The suspect got the gun out of the jam and fired again before running away down an alley.
At the news conference, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said, “It does seem that he is skilled with firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly.”
Gun experts who looked at the video say it looks like the gun did not work right with each shot because it did not load a new round into the firing chamber. The recording shows that the gunman always cleared the jam before firing again. Experts say the attacker acts in a way that someone who has been trained to use a gun by the police or the military would.
Police say the suspect ran away on foot and then on an e-bike.
CNN reported that the suspect crossed the street, started to run, and may have dropped a phone and a water bottle in the alley. A senior police officer said that video from a nearby Starbucks shows the shooter buying a bottle of water and two energy bars minutes before the attack.
If police can figure out how to unlock the phone, fingerprints, DNA, and other information about the suspect could be found on it. Even if it is just a “burner phone,” it could show how people talked and searched before the shooting. Investigators say the water bottle may also have DNA evidence.
Police say the suspect was last seen riding a bike into Central Park a few minutes after the shooting. The area has been searched by police. CNN was told that police have not found either the bike or the gun that was used in the shooting.
Law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation say that investigators are checking to see if the bike was set up ahead of time because they think the suspect may have taken the underground from the Upper West Side to Midtown.
Police have video of the suspect on the Upper West Side with what looks like a battery for an electric bike, the sources said.
United Health care CEO shot in Midtown Manhattan
The shooting took place in Midtown Manhattan at the corner of West 53rd Street and 6th Avenue. It was only a few blocks away from Rockefeller Centre, where the annual Christmas tree lighting will take place Wednesday night.
A reward of up to $10,000 has been offered by NYPD Crime Stoppers for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible.
CNN spoke with the manager of a parking garage across the street from the hotel. He said he was in his office at the time of the shooting and did not hear shooting.
Thompson was ‘truly extraordinary person,’ parent company CEO says
In April 2021, Thompson was named CEO of United Health care. The annual Fortune 500 list ranks United Health Group as the fourth-largest company in the United States based on revenue.
United Health care is part of United Health Group, which is the largest insurance company in the United States and one of the largest companies in the country overall.
UnitedHealth Group abruptly ended its planned conference on Wednesday morning, saying that “one of our team members is dealing with a very serious medical situation.”
By late morning, flags at the headquarters of United Healthcare in Minnetonka, Minnesota, were flown at half-staff.
Later, Andrew Witty, CEO of United Health Group, talked about the shooting in a one-minute video sent to employees. In the video that CNN got, he said, “There are no words to describe how so many of us are feeling right now.”
“Brian was a truly amazing person who made a difference in the lives of many people in our organisation and beyond.” It is a terrible tragedy, and I know we can not believe it.
“We are deeply saddened and shocked by the death of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, who was CEO of UnitedHealthcare,” the company said in a statement.
“Everyone who worked with Brian thought highly of him and considered him a friend.” We are working closely with the NYPD, and we ask that you please be patient and understand during this tough time. Our thoughts are with Brian’s family and everyone who knew him.
Minnesota governor calls death a terrible loss
Kathy Hochul, the governor of New York, has told state police to help the NYPD with the investigation in any way that is needed to make sure everyone’s safety.
Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota and former vice presidential candidate, said that Thompson’s death was “a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota.”
“This is an awful and shocking act of violence.” US Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota wrote on X Wednesday morning, “My thoughts are with Brian Thompson’s family, loved ones, and everyone who works at United Healthcare in Minnesota.”
John Thompson, a constituent of mine, was killed this morning in New York City. US Rep. Dean Phillips of Minnesota’s 3rd District wrote, “I am horrified by this and will pray for his family.”