One of the biggest insurers in the country, UnitedHealthcare, lost its CEO Wednesday in midtown Manhattan in what authorities said was a planned shooting outside a hotel where the firm was hosting a conference.
The gunman was last spotted riding an e-bike into Central Park after running away on foot into an alleyway. The purpose behind the intended attack on Brian Thompson is still unknown, according to New York City police.
Here’s what you should know:
What took place?
Around 6:45 a.m., according to the police, Thompson was on his way to the company’s annual investor meeting at the New York Hilton Midtown when someone approached him from behind and shot him several times.
According to investigators, Thompson had no protection detail and was with himself at the time.
According to Joseph Kenny, chief of detectives for the police department, officers discovered Thompson lying on the ground outside the hotel with gunshot wounds to his right calf and back. At 7:12 a.m., a nearby hospital declared him dead.
How much do we know about the gunman?
According to Kenny, the gunman looked to be a man wearing a black face mask, black and white sneakers, and a recognizable gray rucksack.
About five minutes before Thompson arrived, he was outside the hotel, waiting close to the structure while ignoring other people before coming up behind Thompson.
He started shooting at Thompson, striking him in the rear. Then the rifle broke down, but he was able to swiftly fix it and keep shooting, Kenny added.
Kenny stated that based on the footage, it appears that he is skilled with firearms because he was able to rapidly fix the problems.
After crashing into an alleyway close to the hotel, the gunman mounted an e-bike and rode into Central Park.
It was unclear whether the cellphone that police discovered in the alleyway belonged to the shooter, according to Kenny.
Brian Thompson was who?
Thompson oversaw UnitedHealthcare, the parent business UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s insurance division.
He had been with the company for twenty years, and since 2021, he had been in charge of its insurance branch in Minnetonka, Minnesota. With an annual remuneration package of $10.2 million, he was among the top paid executives in the corporation.
While Andrew Witty, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group Inc., assumed a more visible role that included testifying before Congress, Thompson maintained a low profile.
After completing his studies at the University of Iowa, Thompson began working as a certified public accountant. He resided in Maple Grove, a suburb of Minneapolis.
Paulette Thompson, his wife, told NBC News that her husband said he had been threatened by several individuals. Although she lacked specifics, she hinted that they might have something to do with problems with insurance coverage.
Eric Werner, the chief of police in Maple Grove, stated that no threats against the executive had been reported to his department.
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