UnitedHealthcare CEO Killer Search: What We Know So Far

(FOX 9) – Efforts to find gunman who shot and killed Brian Thompso, CEO of UnitedHealthcaren outside an expanded New York hotel over the weekend.

Background

Thompson was shot and killed near W. 54th Street and 6th Avenue outside the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan around 6:45 a.m. on December 4, 2024. Thompson was scheduled to participate in the company’s shareholder conference in the hotel.

The video shows the shooter shooting behind Thompson, hitting him three times.

Authorities say the words “deny,” “defend” and “file” — a phrase critics use to describe insurance company tactics — were written on the ammunition casings left at the scene. New York police believe the shooting was premeditated and targeted.

Despite extensive searches and heavy media coverage, police have so far failed to make an arrest following the shooting.

The last

Over the weekend, police released a new batch of photos showing the masked gunman getting into a taxi.

The reward for information leading to an arrest also increased to $50,000.

On Friday, police reportedly found a distinctive backpack the shooter was carrying. Inside, they found a jacket and Monopoly money. According to reports, investigators were also testing a discarded water bottle and protein bar wrapper for DNA.

Track down the suspect

The morning of the shooting, police said the shooter was spotted on surveillance video outside the hotel, apparently waiting for Thompson for about five minutes.

• Authorities said last week that they now believe the shooter arrived in New York aboard a Greyhound bus from Atlanta, Georgia, the day before Thanksgiving.
• The suspect stayed at a hostel and checked in using a fake New Jersey ID.
• Police were able to pull surveillance video of the suspects making a purchase at a Starbucks near the inns. They had also found him on the subway and in other establishments before the shooting.
• After the shooting, investigators believe the shooter walked west on 6th Avenue, before getting on an electric bike and heading north into Central Park.
• The police now believe the killer left New York on a bus.

Continued impact

The shooting also increased concerns for other health care companies.

Last week, Medica announced its closure its Minnesota headquarters out of an abundance of caution following the shooting.

UnitedHealthcare also erected a fence around its building.

In a statement to FOX 9 on Monday, UCare, a nonprofit health plan based in Minneapolisalso confirmed it was closing its offices for the week following a “concerning comment” during a phone call.