New York City police have released new photos of the suspected gunman in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as the manhunt intensifies.
Thompson, 50, was set to speak at an investor meeting on Wednesday morning when he was gunned down around 6:45 a.m. outside the New York Hilton Midtown. He was taken to Mount Sinai West where he was pronounced dead.
Police say Thompson was “specifically targeted” in the “brazen attack” by a gunman who is still at large after fleeing the scene on an e-bike. The suspect is described as a white male dressed entirely in black, with a black ski mask, and carrying a gray backpack.
Photos from surveillance footage show the hooded suspect standing in front of the counter at a Starbucks at West 56th Street and 6th Avenue just minutes before the shooting.
While the attack appears to be targeted, police said they do not yet have a motive.
Thompson, who was also a father of two, joined parent company UnitedHealth Group in 2004, and became CEO of UnitedHealthcare in 2021. He was scheduled to speak at an investor meeting at the hotel at 8 a.m.
WATCH: Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting sees massive police presence amid shooting
Rachel Sharp5 December 2024 09:10
How the shooting unfolded
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down outside a Manhattan hotel on Wednesday morning in what investigators say was a targeted attack.
Thompson, 50, was en route to the New York Hilton Midtown, where he was set to speak at an investor meeting, when he was shot and killed by a gunman who fled on foot and then took an e-bike into Central Park, according to the New York Police Department.
A manhunt for the suspect continued on Wednesday afternoon. While police say the shooting was targeted, they have not yet provided a motive.
Here’s a timeline of how the brazen attack unfolded, according to the NYPD based on preliminary information and surveillance video:
Rachel Sharp5 December 2024 08:48
UnitedHealthcare CEO gunned down in Manhattan sold company stocks just before DOJ probe made public
The healthcare CEO shot and killed in New York on Wednesday was one of several senior executives at UnitedHealthcare who sold stock after an antitrust investigation had been launched by the Department of Justice but not yet made public, according to a Crain’s New York Business report from April.
Thompson, 50, was killed in what police are calling a “targeted shooting”.
In February, Thompson sold shares of the company’s stock options worth $15.1 million just two weeks before the DOJ announced its probe into the company. READ MORE:
Graig Graziosi5 December 2024 04:05
UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting prompts global corporate security video call
The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson prompted corporate security officers from global Fortune 500 companies to hold a video call on Wednesday afternoon to discuss safety measures.
An expert who participated on the call told the New York Times that the the discussions included best practices and noted that top-level security officers were being pressed by executives to prepare safety presentations outlining their current security programs and practices.
Graig Graziosi5 December 2024 02:47
Gunman reportedly fled Brian Thompson shooting scene on a Citi Bike
Investigators believe the person who shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled the scene using an electric Citi Bike. Police officers were gathered near a Citi Bike kiosk near Madison Avenue and 82nd street on Wednesday afternoon canvassing the nearby buildings to see if anyone had information on the gunman.
Law enforcement officials will no doubt be collecting surveillance video from the area to scan it for signs of the suspect.
As of Wednesday evening, the gunman remains at large.
Graig Graziosi5 December 2024 01:00
UPDATED: Everything we know about murdered UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in what police described as a “brazen targeted attack” in Manhattan early Wednesday.
A massive manhunt is underway for the unidentified shooter, who fled the scene on a bike. Police are searching for a motive, and had yet to make an arrest as of Wednesday afternoon.
Here’s everything we know so far about the fatal attack on the 50-year-old insurance CEO: READ MORE:
Graig Graziosi5 December 2024 00:05
Family, government leaders mourn slain CEO
Brian Thompson’s family members are in mourning as they process the news of his murder.
His sister Elena Reveiz told The New York Times that her brother was a “good person, and I am so sad.”
Thompson’s brother Mark previously told The Independent he was not yet ready to comment on the situation.
Former vice presidential candidate and current Minnesota governor Tim Walz posted his condolences on social media.
“This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,” Walz wrote. “Minnesota is sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.”
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she has been briefed on the situation and also offered her condolences to Thompson’s family.
“Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of Mr. Thompson, and we are committed to ensuring the perpetrator is brought to justice,” Hochul said.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams also assured residents the shooting did not appear to be a random act of violence.
“We want to be clear to New Yorkers that this does not appear to be a random act of violence,” Adams said on Wednesday.
Thompson is a father of two. Before taking the CEO job in 2021, he worked as the company’s head of government programs.
Andrea Cavallier4 December 2024 23:00
A timeline of how the Midtown CEO shooting unfolded
Thompson was en route to the New York Hilton Midtown, where he was set to speak at an investor meeting, when he was shot and killed by a gunman who fled on foot and then took an e-bike into Central Park, according to the New York Police Department.
Here’s a timeline of how the brazen attack unfolded, according to the NYPD based on preliminary information and surveillance video:
Andrea Cavallier4 December 2024 22:40
