UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson He was shot and killed outside a New York City hotel early Wednesday morning, police said. Raids are continuing in search of the gunman. who fled the scene On a bike in Central Park.
Here's what we know so far.
The shooting appears to be a targeted attack
Thompson, 50, was shot in the back and leg at about 6:45 a.m. outside the Hilton Midtown hotel in a busy part of Manhattan. Police said they believe this was not a random attack and that Thompson was targeted. Authorities are looking for a motive.
“We are deeply saddened by this morning's events in the area and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy,” a spokesperson for the hotel said in a statement.
The New York City Police Commissioner said investigators had video of the shooting that appeared to show the gunman waiting for Thompson for several minutes before opening fire. jessica tish Said in a briefing. The gunman arrived at the shooting scene on foot about five minutes before Thompson arrived.
According to the police commissioner, the suspect approached Thompson from behind and fired his gun at least twice, hitting him in the back and right calf. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenney said the video shows the suspect initially firing the gun and moving toward Thompson. The gun appeared to malfunction, but the shooter quickly cleared the jam before firing again. The CEO was not robbed.
Tisch said, “I want to be clear. At this point, every indication is that this was a premeditated, premeditated, targeted attack.”
When asked by police whether Thompson had any known enemies before his death or whether he was to blame for the health insurance recipient's lack of coverage under UnitedHealthcare – police did not directly answer – later issues. Since then led protests in minnesotawhere the company is headquartered and where Thompson lived in the summer. He said investigators were “looking at everything,” including the executive's social media, and interviewing his associates and family members to determine what circumstances might have led to the incident. The NYPD is also joining law enforcement in Minnesota.
The firing came ahead of an investor conference that UnitedHealthcare parent company UnitedHealth Group was scheduled to hold at the Hilton on Wednesday morning, according to a spokeswoman for the subsidiary. Thompson worked for UnitedHealthcare. since 2004 and served as its CEO since 2021.
Thompson was not a guest at the hotel, Tisch said. He was headed to the building Wednesday morning for a conference, which was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., when UnitedHealthcare canceled the event after the shooting.
The New York City Police Department said officers responding to a 911 call reporting the shooting found Thompson unconscious and unresponsive when they arrived. Emergency medical services personnel transported him to Mount Sinai West, which is nearby, but Thompson died of his injuries. He was pronounced dead at the hospital, according to the NYPD.
Police recovered three live cartridges and three empty cartridges at the scene.
Suspect ran into Central Park
After the shooting, the suspect fled on foot down an alley and onto an electric Citi Bike, which he rode into Central Park, officials said at a Wednesday briefing. A cellphone was recovered in the street, and authorities are examining it forensically to see if it is connected to the shooter.
Police said they were working with Citi Bike to see if the GPS function on their electric bikes could help them trace the suspect's route.
Police have not identified the suspect
The suspect was absconding till Wednesday afternoon. Police sources described him as a white male, wearing a gray jacket, a black face mask, and black and white sneakers. He also carried a gray backpack.
Police sources said that several hours after the shooting officers were continuing to analyze surveillance images and canvass the area for additional video in efforts to locate the gunman. A law enforcement source said investigators and security at UnitedHealthcare were reviewing files for any previous threats, or records of disgruntled or recently fired workers, as they tried to piece together a possible motive.
“We will not rest until we arrest the shooter in this case,” Tisch said.
A witness said he was inside his car when he heard the gunshot, CBS News New York reports. According to the station, the witness recalled seeing a man running away with a gun in his hand.
“I was looking at my phone and I heard the gunshot,” the witness told CBS News New York. Very.”
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the NYPD through the Crime Stoppers hotline. They can also report tips online anonymously. The police department is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.
Thompson's long history at UnitedHealth Group
Thompson was named CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the insurance arm of UnitedHealth Group, in April 2021. But he was an experienced employee of the company, holding several leadership positions during his multi-decade tenure. Before taking on this latest executive role, he served as CEO of the company's government programs, such as Medicare and Retirement Initiatives, in addition to community and state programs that provide Medicaid and other health coverage to millions of people.
When he was appointed to lead UnitedHealthcare in 2021, the company said announcement of Thompson will be responsible for “driving continued growth across global, employer, individual, specialty and government benefit businesses while continuing the company's focus on ensuring access to high-quality, affordable health care.”
UnitedHealth Group said in a statement Wednesday that the company is “deeply saddened and shocked” by Thompson's death.
“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” the statement said. “We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Our thoughts are with Brian's family and everyone close to him.”
Thompson's net earnings exceeded $9.8 million after his first year as CEO of UnitedHealthcare, according to data released by UnitedHealthcare. Economic Research Institute In 2022.
Recent layoffs at UnitedHealth Group
Optum, another subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group focused on patient services, is currently going through a series of layoffs. Minnesota Star TribuneThe company announced hundreds of job cuts in September in New Jersey, California and Ohio, most of which were scheduled to take effect in December. State laws in those three locations require employers to disclose the cuts, so layoffs could theoretically have been more widespread but were not reported. CBS News reached out to UnitedHealth Group for more information.
Pat Milton and John Doyle contributed to this article.