By Thomas Tracy, Ellen Moynihan and Rocco Parascandola
Source New York Daily News
Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was killed by a masked gunman early Wednesday in a “targeted attack” outside a Hilton hotel in Midtown where he was expected to speak to a ballroom full of colleagues, officials said.
The shooting, police sources said, was caught on camera and Thompson, 50, was shot in the back. The NYPD released images of the suspected gunman holding what appears to be a pistol, and another of him riding away from the scene on a bicycle.
“Based on the evidence so far, it does appear that the victim was specifically targeted, but we do not know why,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Wednesday. “This does not appear to be a random act of violence.”
The gunman was lying in wait for Thompson for several minutes before the shooting and may have been using a silencer.
“He was lying in wait for several minutes,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said about the gunman. “Then he fired several rounds, striking the victim once in the back and right calf.”
Thompson’s family was devastated by the news of his apparent assassination.
“We’re still in shock,” Thompson’s mother-in-law, Paulette Reveiz, told the Daily News Wednesday. “The only thing I can say is he’s a good man. I can’t say anything else.”
Thompson’s brother, when reached, declined to comment.
Thompson, who lives in Minnesota, had exited a hotel across the street and was walking to the Residences Hilton Club on Sixth Ave. near W. 54th St. to set up an investors conference about 6:45 a.m., when the gunman stormed up and opened fire from about 20 feet away, police sources said.
EMS rushed the victim to Roosevelt Hospital, where he died of his wounds.
The gunman ran off and was being sought.
According to preliminary reports, witnesses told police that the gunman, who was dressed in a tan coat, a black sweatshirt, a black face mask, black and white sneakers, and was sporting a large grey backpack, stepped out of an alley before shooting Thompson, who was expected to give a speech at an investor day sponsored by UnitedHealthcare.
The gunman fired off three rounds, but the gun jammed. He was able to clear the jam and kept firing, said Kenny, who added that the gunman “appeared to be proficient” in handling firearms.
After firing at Thompson, the gunman ran through the nearby Ziegfeld alleyway and jumped on a bicycle to escape, police said. A cellphone was found where the gunman was standing.
The gunman jumped on a Citi Bike and was last seen heading north on Sixth Ave. toward Central Park. Cops lost sight of the gunman at Central Park, Kenny said.
Mayor Eric Adams confirmed suspicions that the gunman meant to kill Thompson.
“Our preliminary investigation is revealing that this was not a random act of violence,” Mayor Adams told reporters Wednesday. “It appears as though this was a targeted murder and we are now looking at some evidence that they have recovered from the scene.”
Adams added that City Hall has reached out to UnitedHealthcare to lend any assistance they may need.
“NYPD is on the job,” he said. “We want to just really calm New Yorkers and particularly business executives that again, this was not what appears to be just a random act of violence — it seems to have been clearly targeted by an individual and we will apprehend that individual.”
UnitedHealthcare executives tried to go on with their presentation at 9 a.m., but ultimately had to cancel the day’s itinerary, according to Bloomberg News.
“We’re dealing with a very serious medical situation,” UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty told the crowd.
Thompson was made chief executive officer for UnitedHealthcare in April 2021, according to his company biography. Prior to this role, he served as CEO of UnitedHealthcare government programs including Medicare & Retirement and Community & State. Before leading government programs, Thompson served as CEO of UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement.
Cops are working on the theory that the gunman was waiting by the alley for the victim to pass before shooting him.
No arrests have been made.
Detectives were scouring the area looking for surveillance footage that could help them track the shooter.
Cops are offering a $10,000 reward for any information about the gunman.
Anyone with information is asked to call NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.
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