NYPD shares images of gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO as manhunt continues

New York police shared the image of the suspect who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as the manhunt continues to find the culprit. According to the authorities, the gunman behind the Wednesday shooting incident reportedly stopped at a store located around the corner from the midtown hotel where he shot the insurance executive.

As the search goes on, the New York Police Department (NYPD), shared surveillance images of the alleged shooting inside the store. The shooter was in a hoodie and the store was located near West 54th Street and 6th Avenue, around the corner from the New York Hilton Midtown hotel where Brian Thompson was gunned down.

The man appeared to have his face covered in the video of the brazen sidewalk killing. The video, which was reviewed by the investigators showed the shooter emerging from behind a parked car, stopping and pointing a gun at Thompson’s back, holding it with two hands and firing multiple times from several feet away, NBC News reported. The shooter was then seen walking past Thompson and out of the frame.

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Detectives believe the shooter was experienced

The detectives involved in the case said that the shooter might be experienced since he “operated slowly, deliberately”. “From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters, NBC News reported.

Thompson was shot at around 6:45 am (local time) while he was walking towards the Hilton Midtown. The UnitedHealth Group was scheduled to hold an investor day at the Hilton on Wednesday but cancelled it after reports of the shooting. The 50-year-old was shot in the back and calf outside the hotel in what officials described as a “premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack” against the insurance giant CEO.

The police noted that the shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind. The authorities are yet to establish the motive behind the attack. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said following the incident. She maintained that the shooting “does not appear to be a random act of violence.” The authorities are now offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

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Thompson’s family was angered by the incident

The insurance executive’s wife, Paulette Thompson released a statement in which she called the attack “senseless,” CNN reported. “We are shattered to hear about the senseless killing of our beloved Brian. Brian was an incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives,” the wife of the deceased CEO said in the statement on Wednesday.

“Most importantly, Brian was an incredibly loving father to our two sons and will be greatly missed. We appreciate your well wishes and request complete privacy as our family moves through this difficult time,” she added. Thompson served as the CEO of UnitedHealthcare for more than three years. He was appointed to the top spot in April 2021 and has been working with the group since 2004.

“We are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare,” the insurer’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group, said in a statement. “Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” the company said. “We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time,” the statement further reads.

Meanwhile, Brian Thompson’s sister-in-law Elena Reveiz, told the New York Times she was still processing the news of Thompson’s death. “He was a good person, and I am so sad,” Reveiz said, adding that Thompson was a good father to his two children. Reveiz also mentioned that she was on her way to be with their family.

With inputs from agencies.