New York City – The CEO of UnitedHealthcare was fatally shot in a targeted attack outside a Manhattan hotel, triggering a widespread search for the assailant. The incident occurred during the health insurer’s investor conference, with police identifying the victim as 50-year-old Brian Thompson, who was shot around 6:45 a.m. in front of the New York Hilton Midtown.
Authorities have been investigating the events leading up to the shooting, seeking to piece together the sequence of events. Law enforcement sources revealed that the suspected shooter had arrived in New York City from Atlanta on a bus last month and had checked into the HI New York City Hostel on the Upper West Side under a false New Jersey license. Surveillance footage from inside the hostel helped identify the suspect, who also appeared to have been captured on video in several locations in the city prior to the shooting.
Following the shooting, the NYPD obtained a warrant to search the hostel as part of their investigation. The suspect was seen on video outside a public housing project in the area, as well as entering and exiting the subway station near the shooting scene. Additionally, images of the suspect without a face mask were released, providing the public with information to aid in his apprehension.
The timeline leading up to the shooting indicated that the suspect had been in the vicinity before Thompson’s arrival, prompting speculation about premeditation. The NYPD Commissioner described how the suspect appeared to have waited for his target, showing a significant level of planning and intentionality in the attack.
As the investigation unfolded, additional details emerged, shedding light on the suspect’s movements and actions before and after the shooting. Video footage captured the suspect fleeing the scene on foot and later riding an electric bicycle through the city, with law enforcement agencies continuing the search to locate and apprehend the individual responsible for the CEO’s death.
Thompson’s tragic demise highlights the vulnerability individuals face in public spaces, emphasizing the importance of law enforcement’s swift and thorough response to acts of violence. The ongoing manhunt for the suspect underscores the collaborative efforts of various agencies to bring those responsible for such heinous crimes to justice.