A gunman is still at large and considered dangerous after shooting and killing the UnitedHealthcare CEO in an apparent hit job.
Top News Today :
On Wednesday, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot outside the Hilton Hotel in New York City in what police have described as a “brazen targeted attack” in broad daylight. He was later pronounced dead from his gunshot wounds.
According to The New York Times, the unknown gunman laid in wait for the UnitedHealthcare CEO outside of a hotel in Midtown Manhattan where his company was to hold an investor’s meeting. When Thompson appeared around 6:45am, the gunman walked up and casually fired several rounds into his chest before hopping on a bicycle and fleeing into nearby Central Park.
Surveillance video caught the masked gunman standing alone on 54th Street, apparently waiting for his victim. Cameras also captured footage of the shooting, including a moment when the pistol jammed. However, the gunman quickly cleared the weapon and resumed firing, which prompted police to label the shooting a targeted hit job.
News of the death of the UnitedHealthcare CEO spread quickly and prompted dozens of chief security officers of Fortune 500 corporations from around the world to stage an emergency video call. The call participants discussed immediate protective measures for other executives in and around the area.
The gunman was described by police as wearing a light brown or cream-colored jacket, a black face mask, black and white sneakers, and a “very distinctive” gray backpack. He remains at large and is the subject of a massive manhunt by the New York Police Department.
NYPD Detectives believe the gunman is “not a professional killer” because he made too many “mistakes.” For example, a source said professional hitmen typically don’t carry cell phones to their hits and confirmed that the shots were fired from a distance that was considered “too far” away from the victim.
Although officials don’t yet know why the UnitedHealthcare CEO was boldly murdered, they are already working to determine if the hit job was due to a personal conflict or was the result of Thompson’s work as an insurance executive. Police do believe the killer’s apparent knowledge of Thompson’s schedule on Wednesday and information that he would be arriving at the Hilton around 6am are all valuable clues.
United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson brought in $281 billion in revenue last year, making it the largest subsidiary of the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group, according to The Associated Press. His $10.2 million annual pay package, including salary, bonus, and stock options awards, made him one of the company’s highest-paid executives.
He was 50.
OK WASSUP! discusses the Top News Today:
The shooting death of the UnitedHealthcare CEO.
I did see a little something about this story on the day it happened.
My first thought was it was targeted hit. The shooter stalked the victim and knew where he would be.
What I find um…interesting is the description of the shooter given by the police. The shooter is wearing a half-face mask and Clearly we can SEE part of his face and both of his hands. He appears to be WHITE but none of that is mentioned(?)