Gunman at large after UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot in ‘brazen targeted attack, ‘according to police

According to New York authorities, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday morning in Midtown Manhattan in a blatant, targeted attack as he made his way to the hotel where the business was holding its annual investor conference.

The gunman is still at large. However, because the investigation is still underway, police officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the attacker might have left some crucial hints while escaping.

A gunman was waiting outside the Hilton Midtown just before 7 a.m., according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, before shooting Thompson.

At a news conference on Wednesday, she stated that although the suspect was surrounded by others, he seemed to be waiting for his chosen victim. To be clear, there is currently every indication that this was a targeted, deliberate attack.

Tisch claims that Thompson was shot at least once in the back and once in the right calf by the shooter who came up behind him. Thompson was taken in critical condition to Mount Sinai West, where he died at 7:12 a.m.

Police have not disclosed a motive for the shooting, and it remains unclear. However, UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of UnitedHealthcare, was aware of significant threats against its top executives, a source familiar with the probe told CNN.

The source claims that Thompson’s name was not mentioned in any of the threats. Paulette, Thompson’s widow, told NBC News that her husband had received some threats.

In essence, I don’t know. Could the coverage have been inadequate? “I’m not sure about the details,” she said. “All I know is that he said he had been threatened by some people,” she said.

Paulette Thompson refused to discuss the threats she told NBC with CNN.

We are devastated by the needless death of our dear Brian, she told CNN on Wednesday. Brian was a very brilliant, kind, and loving man who lived life to the fullest and had a profound impact on a lot of people. Most of all, we will miss Brian, who was a very devoted father to our two sons.

A person with knowledge of the company’s security claims that the leadership team at the New York conference was assisted by an internal security team from UnitedHealth Group. When the incident happened in the early hours of the morning, Thompson’s security team was absent.

Video shows shooting unfold

According to authorities, Thompson was shot while traveling to the Hilton for the investor meeting.

Law enforcement officials and firearm specialists said Thompson, who was traveling from Minnesota, was shot with a gun that looked to have a silencer attached.

CNN was able to obtain security footage of the shooting, which was described by police. Officials said that the attacker shot the victim from behind after moving onto the sidewalk from behind a car and ignoring other pedestrians.

The gunman came closer and kept shooting until it seemed to malfunction. After clearing the jam and firing once again, the suspect ran down an alley.

At the press conference, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny stated that he was able to rapidly resolve the malfunctions, suggesting that he is skilled with weapons.

The pistol malfunctioned with every shot, failing to load a new cartridge into the firing chamber, according to firearms experts who saw the video.

The shooter is shown on camera clearing the clog each time before firing once again. The experts say the attacker responds similarly to a person trained in military guns or law enforcement.

Police said the man escaped on foot and then got on an e-bike.

The guy reportedly dropped a phone and a bottle of water in the alley before crossing the street and escaping, CNN reported.

A senior police officer claims that a video taken from a nearby Starbucks shows the attacker buying two energy bars and a bottle of water just minutes before the shooting.

The suspect’s fingerprints, DNA, and other identifying information may be made public if police technicians are successful in unlocking the phone.

Even if it is a burner phone, it might provide details regarding conversations and searches that took place before the incident. Investigators believe the water bottle may also include DNA evidence.

Minutes after the incident, according to the police, the suspect was last seen entering Central Park on a bicycle. The location has been searched by investigators. CNN reports that neither the gun nor the bike used in the shooting have been located by authorities.

According to law enforcement authorities informed on the case, investigators believe the suspect took the tube from the Upper West Side to Midtown, and they are looking into whether the bike was prepositioned.

Sources claim that police have footage of the man on the Upper West Side carrying what looks to be an electric bicycle battery.

The incident took place in Midtown Manhattan at the intersection of West 53rd Street and 6th Avenue, a few streets from Rockefeller Center, the site of Wednesday night’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

A reward of up to $10,000 has been offered by NYPD Crime Stoppers for information that results in the arrest and conviction of the offender.

CNN was informed by the manager of a parking garage across the street from the hotel that he was in his office when the incident occurred and did not hear any gunfire.