The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest insurance providers in the nation, was fatally shot Wednesday morning (04th November) outside a hotel in midtown Manhattan in what police said was a “brazen, targeted attack.”
Brian Thompson, 50, was shot by a masked gunman around 6:45 a.m. near the New York Hilton Midtown, where he was set to speak at an investment conference, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference.
Tisch said it seems the gunman “was lying in wait” for several minutes as other people walked by. Surveillance video shows when Thompson appeared, the suspect stepped behind him and opened fire from close range, striking him in the back and leg. Police said the gunman’s weapon appeared to jam, but he still managed to continue firing.
Thompson was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police were still searching for the shooter, who hid in an alleyway before boarding an e-bike and riding into Central Park, where he was last seen, authorities said. The gunman was described as a light-skinned male wearing a light brown or cream-colored jacket with a hood over his head, a black facemask, black-and-white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack.
At the scene, investigators found three shell casings in addition to a cellphone located in the alley where the shooter initially fled. The phone will be processed forensically as part of the investigation, the NYPD said.
Details of the Incident:
- Timeline: The attack occurred around 6:45 a.m. as Thompson approached the hotel.
- Description of the attack: The assailant, masked and hooded, shot Thompson from close range, striking him in the back and leg.
- Immediate aftermath: Thompson was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
- Eyewitness accounts and security measures at the scene, if available.
Investigation:
- Current status of the investigation: NYPD’s efforts to identify and capture the gunman, description of the suspect based on surveillance footage.
- Analysis of the cellphone found at the scene and other forensic evidence.
– NSH Digi Desk
