Şevval Tufan
Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot in a targeted attack outside the Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan early Wednesday morning, according to police. The attack occurred around 6:45 a.m. on 54th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, where Thompson was scheduled to speak at an investment conference. Police said a masked gunman lurked near the hotel, approached Thompson from behind and shot him in the back and leg. Emergency responders rushed Thompson to a nearby hospital, but he was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival.
The suspect, described as a light-skinned male wearing a cream-coloured jacket, black face mask, grey backpack and black-and-white sneakers, fled the scene on a Citi Bike. He was last seen entering Central Park. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the attack appears to have been deliberate but the motive remains unclear. UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of UnitedHealthcare, expressed shock and sadness, describing Thompson as ‘a highly respected colleague and friend’. The company cut short its annual investor conference at the Hilton following the tragedy. ‘This is a brazen and calculated act of violence,’ Tisch said, adding that the NYPD is actively following leads to apprehend the suspect. While the shooting was widely condemned, lawmakers also expressed their sorrow for the tragedy.
Image: USA Today
