The CEO of one of the largest US health insurance companies was fatally shot on Wednesday outside a Hilton Hotel in Manhattan, New York City. Investigators say it was no random act of violence.
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Police investigators are searching for the killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, who was shot dead in Manhattan on Wednesday.
Thompson led one of the USA's largest health insurance companies and was on his way to the company's annual meeting with Wall Street investors at a Hilton Hotel in Midtown, not far from tourist spots like Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art.
The killing, as well as the assailant's movements before and after the incident, were captured on security cameras in the area. One video showed the shooter approach Thompson from behind before firing several shots, only briefly pausing to clear a gun jam, while a bystander fled in the opposite direction.
He was then seen escaping on a bicycle into Central Park, after which his movements are not clear. New York police have deployed drones, helicopters and dogs in a wide search for the assailant, but his whereabouts remain unkwown at the time of writing.
New York City Police have said that while a motive has yet to be established, they do not consider the shooting to be a random act of violence. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” police commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference on Wednesday.
Thompson's wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he had spoken to her of "some people that had been threatening him.” While she did not have details, she suggested the threats may have been in relation to issues with insurance coverage.
Authorities have offered up a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction.
UnitedHealth Group is the USA's biggest provider of Medicare Advantage plans. It manages health insurance coverage for employers and state, as well as nationally funded Medicaid programmes. A publicly listed company on the New York Stock Exchange, UnitedHealth posted revenues of $371.6 billion for 2023.
Thompson, the father of two sons, had worked for the company since 2004 and became its CEO in 2021.