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| UnitedHealthcare CEO fatal shooting: what we know so far | UnitedHealthcare CEO fatal shooting: what we know so far |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Police search for gunman after Brian Thompson, 50, killed in Manhattan in ‘brazen targeted attack’ | Police search for gunman after Brian Thompson, 50, killed in Manhattan in ‘brazen targeted attack’ |
| Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, one of the the US’s largest health insurers, was fatally shot on Wednesday in midtown Manhattan by an unidentified man. | |
| Here’s everything we know about the shooting. | Here’s everything we know about the shooting. |
| 1. Thompson was 50, lived in Minnesota and had been CEO since 2021 | 1. Thompson was 50, lived in Minnesota and had been CEO since 2021 |
| Brian Thompson lived in Minnesota, but had been in New York for the annual UnitedHealthcare investor conference scheduled to take place on Wednesday morning. | Brian Thompson lived in Minnesota, but had been in New York for the annual UnitedHealthcare investor conference scheduled to take place on Wednesday morning. |
| He joined UnitedHealth Group in 2004 and had been the chief executive of Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare since April 2021. | He joined UnitedHealth Group in 2004 and had been the chief executive of Minnesota-based UnitedHealthcare since April 2021. |
| Before this role, he had served as CEO of UnitedHealthcare government programs including Medicare and retirement, and community and state. | Before this role, he had served as CEO of UnitedHealthcare government programs including Medicare and retirement, and community and state. |
| 2. Thompson was specifically targeted | 2. Thompson was specifically targeted |
| New York’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, called the shooting a “brazen targeted attack” that “does not appear to be a random act of violence”. | New York’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, called the shooting a “brazen targeted attack” that “does not appear to be a random act of violence”. |
| “I want to be clear at this time: every indication is that this was a premeditated, pre-planned, targeted attack,” she said. | “I want to be clear at this time: every indication is that this was a premeditated, pre-planned, targeted attack,” she said. |
| 3. Thompson’s wife has said that he had been receiving threats | 3. Thompson’s wife has said that he had been receiving threats |
| In a phone call to NBC News, Paulette Thompson said: “There had been some threats. 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.” | In a phone call to NBC News, Paulette Thompson said: “There had been some threats. 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.” |
| While she did not elaborate on “lack of coverage” to the network, the comment comes in the wake of backlash that UnitedHealthcare has experienced about their coverage. Earlier this year, protesters were arrested outside the company’s headquarters in Minnesota, and were reportedly there in an effort to shed light on the organization’s alleged “pattern of improper coverage denials”. | While she did not elaborate on “lack of coverage” to the network, the comment comes in the wake of backlash that UnitedHealthcare has experienced about their coverage. Earlier this year, protesters were arrested outside the company’s headquarters in Minnesota, and were reportedly there in an effort to shed light on the organization’s alleged “pattern of improper coverage denials”. |
| 4. The suspected shooter has not been identified and was last seen entering Central Park | 4. The suspected shooter has not been identified and was last seen entering Central Park |
| Images of a suspect released by the New York police department (NYPD) on Wednesday showed him wearing a dark jacket with the hood up, a dark mask pulled up over his nose, dark trousers and a grey backpack. | Images of a suspect released by the New York police department (NYPD) on Wednesday showed him wearing a dark jacket with the hood up, a dark mask pulled up over his nose, dark trousers and a grey backpack. |
| The latest image released by police reportedly shows the suspect at a Starbucks coffee shop minutes before the shooting. | The latest image released by police reportedly shows the suspect at a Starbucks coffee shop minutes before the shooting. |
| The gunman arrived at the location on foot about five minutes before Thompson’s arrival, police said. From surveillance video, police said Thompson was seen at 6.44am ET walking alone towards the Hilton. | The gunman arrived at the location on foot about five minutes before Thompson’s arrival, police said. From surveillance video, police said Thompson was seen at 6.44am ET walking alone towards the Hilton. |
| Officials said he approached Thompson from behind and shot him in the back before moving toward the victim and continuing to shoot. Ultimately, Thompson was shot in the back and at least once in the calf. | |
| Authorities said the gun appeared to malfunction, and the gunman cleared the jam before firing again and fleeing northbound into an alleyway between 54th Street and 55th Street. The shooter then continued to walk westbound on the Avenue of the Americas, where he got on to an electric Citi Bike and rode northbound towards Central Park. | Authorities said the gun appeared to malfunction, and the gunman cleared the jam before firing again and fleeing northbound into an alleyway between 54th Street and 55th Street. The shooter then continued to walk westbound on the Avenue of the Americas, where he got on to an electric Citi Bike and rode northbound towards Central Park. |
| Police noted that they were working to gather information about the ebike, specifically its GPS tracker. | Police noted that they were working to gather information about the ebike, specifically its GPS tracker. |
| 5. The shooter was ‘proficient’ in firearms | 5. The shooter was ‘proficient’ in firearms |
| Video footage of the shooting showed that the suspect was “proficient in firearms” and able to clear a jam in his gun in the midst of the attack, police said. | Video footage of the shooting showed that the suspect was “proficient in firearms” and able to clear a jam in his gun in the midst of the attack, police said. |
| Police were not able to determine whether a silencer had been used from the glimpse of video that they currently have access to. | Police were not able to determine whether a silencer had been used from the glimpse of video that they currently have access to. |
| Police say they recovered three live 9mm rounds and three discharged 9mm shell casings. | Police say they recovered three live 9mm rounds and three discharged 9mm shell casings. |
| 6. A cellphone was found near the scene | 6. A cellphone was found near the scene |
| Officers recovered a cellphone near the scene of the shooting and are conducting forensic analysis to see whether it is connected to the victim or the suspect. | Officers recovered a cellphone near the scene of the shooting and are conducting forensic analysis to see whether it is connected to the victim or the suspect. |
| 7. Police are offering up to $10,000 to anyone with information regarding Thompson’s death | 7. Police are offering up to $10,000 to anyone with information regarding Thompson’s death |
| Police are searching for the gunman and offering up to $10,000 to anyone with information regarding Thompson’s death, as stated on a newly released flyer with two surveillance photos. | Police are searching for the gunman and offering up to $10,000 to anyone with information regarding Thompson’s death, as stated on a newly released flyer with two surveillance photos. |
| In the Wednesday morning press conference, Jeffrey Maddrey, the NYPD chief, encouraged New Yorkers to go about their daily business, but to be alert. Maddrey also said the shooting would not affect the Rockefeller Center tree lighting, scheduled for Wednesday evening, but added that there would be a “massive” police presence including a plainclothes detail. | In the Wednesday morning press conference, Jeffrey Maddrey, the NYPD chief, encouraged New Yorkers to go about their daily business, but to be alert. Maddrey also said the shooting would not affect the Rockefeller Center tree lighting, scheduled for Wednesday evening, but added that there would be a “massive” police presence including a plainclothes detail. |
| This article was amended on 4 December 2024 to correct that Brian Thompson was shot in the back and the calf, not in the chest. | |
| This article was amended on 4 December 2024 to correct that Brian Thompson was shot in the back and the calf, not in the chest. |