The masked gunman who killed the head of one of the largest US health insurance companies on Manhattan surveillance cameras remained at large on Friday as the nation's largest police department searched for him.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, died in the ambush early Wednesday. Thompson was on his way to the company's annual investor conference at the Hilton in Midtown.
What happened?
Police said Thompson was heading to the company's annual investor conference at the New York Hilton Midtown around 6:45 a.m. when a man walked up behind him and shot him.
Thompson was alone and had no bodyguards, police said.
Officers found him on the ground with wounds to his back and right rib, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. The CEO was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital at 7:12 am.
What is known about the killer?
Kenny said the attacker was wearing a black face mask, black and white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack.
He arrived outside the hotel about five minutes before Thompson, then waited and ignored other pedestrians before approaching Thompson from behind.
After the gunman started shooting, his 9 mm pistol jammed, but he quickly adjusted it and continued firing, Kenny said.
"From watching the video, it appears that he is skilled in the use of firearms as he was able to eliminate malfunctions very quickly," Kenny said.
The attacker ran down an alley near the hotel and later got on an e-bike that took him to Central Park.
Kenny said police found a cell phone in the alley, but it was unclear if it belonged to the perpetrator.
Who was Brian Thompson?
Thompson was chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, the insurance arm of parent company UnitedHealth Group Inc.
He had worked at the Minnetonka-based company for two decades and had headed its insurance division since 2021. He was one of the company's highest-paid executives, with an annual compensation package of $10.2 million.
Thompson began his career as a certified public accountant and graduated from the University of Iowa. He lived in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove, was married with two sons in high school,
His wife, Paulette Thompson, said her husband had said several people had threatened him. She didn't have details, but suggested they could be related to issues with insurance coverage.
Maple Grove Police Chief Eric Werner said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive.
Source: Associated Press
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