UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Shot Dead in New York City

Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot in what police believe was a “premeditated, preplanned targeted attack” outside the New York Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday morning, December 4.

Thompson, 50, was en route to speak at UnitedHealth Group’s investor conference when the gunman approached him from behind and “fired several rounds,” according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who addressed the media at a news conference.

Thompson was struck at least once in the back and at least once in the right calf, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. She added that the gunman had been “lying in wait for several minutes” before the attack.

“Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” she said.

Security footage shows Thompson, dressed in a blue suit, walking down a relatively quiet street. The gunman, wearing a black hoodie and black pants and carrying a gray backpack, approaches him from behind and opens fire.

Thompson stumbles forward as a witness runs to safety. The gunman continues to shoot as Thompson falls to the ground, according to the video.

Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny stated that the shooter arrived at the scene about five minutes before the shooting and fired at Thompson’s back.

“The shooter then walks toward the victim and continues to shoot. It appears that the gun malfunctions as he clears the jam and begins to fire again,” he said.

Three live 9 mm rounds and three discharged 9 mm shell casings were found at the scene, along with a cell phone located nearby.

“The motive for this murder is currently unknown, but based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear the victim was specifically targeted,” he told reporters. “But at this point, we do not know why.”

Thompson, who lived in Minnesota, was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai West. His wife, Paulette Thompson, revealed that he had been receiving threats prior to the incident.

“There had been some threats,” she told NBC News. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”

Paulette Thompson stated that police had informed her the shooting appeared to be “a planned attack.”

According to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the shooter fled on foot and then continued to escape on a rental bike.