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The suspect the NYPD believes shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson left writing on a shell casing police found at the scene, a senior New York law enforcement official briefed on the investigation said on NBC. told the news.
The search continues for the masked gunman since the shooting that left Thompson fighting for his life outside New York’s Hilton Midtown hotel Wednesday morning ahead of a UnitedHealth Group investor meeting. .
New York City police officials said it appears Thompson was the target of a “brazen” and “premeditated” attack.
Dramatic surveillance video obtained by NBC New York shows Thompson walking along the 54th Street sidewalk toward the hotel entrance when a gunman approaches him from behind and shoots him in the back. It seems so. Police said the gunman’s gun jammed, but he was able to fire several shots, first hitting Thompson head-on before leaving the scene on foot and then on a motorized bicycle.
Law enforcement officials told NBC News that shell casings found at the scene had messages written on them: “Defend,” “Reject,” and “Discard.”
Thompson, 50, had been CEO of United Healthcare since April 2021.
The murder suspect rode an electric bicycle to Central Park and was last seen in the Center Drive area Wednesday morning.
Police conducted a frantic search using drones, helicopters and dogs, but the killer was not located until late into the night.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said investigators have not yet determined a motive, but the shooting was not a random act of violence.
“Many people passed the suspect, but the suspect appeared to be waiting for his intended target,” Tisch said at a news conference Wednesday.
“Based on the video, he appears to be skilled with firearms, as he was able to quickly resolve malfunctions,” said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenney.
Police released several surveillance images of the man, who was wearing a hooded jacket and a mask that covered most of his face and would not have attracted attention on a frigid winter day. . Some of the photos were taken at a Starbucks coffee shop just before the photo shoot.
The police department has offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” the Minnetonka, Minn.-based insurance company’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group, said in a statement. “We are working closely with the New York City Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”
Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that Thompson told her “there were people who were threatening him.” He did not provide details, but suggested the threat may be related to insurance coverage issues.
Eric Warner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the officer.
Police initially said the suspect entered Central Park on a bike from the city’s bike-sharing program, CitiBike. However, a spokesperson for Lyft, which runs the program, said Wednesday afternoon that law enforcement officials had notified the company that the bikes did not belong to Citi Bike.
Healthcare giant UnitedHealth Group held its annual meeting with investors to update Wall Street on the company’s direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early following Thompson’s death.
Mr. Thompson, a father of two sons, joined the company in 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years.
UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the United States, managing employer health insurance coverage and state and federally funded Medicaid programs.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz posted on social platform X that the state is “sending prayers to Brian’s family and the United Healthcare team.”
“This is terrible news and a terrible loss for Minnesota’s business and health care communities,” the Democrats wrote.
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