New York police released clear photos on Thursday of the suspect accused of fatally shooting UnitedHealth executive Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan. The shooter remains at large 36 hours after a citywide manhunt began.
Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealth’s insurance division, was shot from behind early Wednesday morning in what authorities called a targeted attack. The incident occurred near the company’s annual investor conference at the Hilton on Sixth Avenue.
Police found shell casings at the scene engraved with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose,” referencing a 2010 book critical of the insurance industry. Rutgers University law professor and book author Jay Feinman declined to comment.
Authorities believe Thompson was deliberately targeted. Surveillance footage shows the suspect waiting outside the hotel, firing at Thompson’s back, and fleeing on an electric bike through Central Park.
The suspect initially wore a ski mask, but new images released by police provide a clearer view of his face. Investigators have searched a hostel on the Upper West Side where the suspect may have stayed.
Thompson, 50, joined UnitedHealth in 2004 and became CEO of UnitedHealthcare in 2021. UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty described him as “an extraordinary person.” Flags at the company’s Minnetonka, Minnesota, headquarters were lowered to half-staff.
Thompson’s wife, Paulette, revealed he had received work-related threats but did not know specifics. The couple has two sons. Police in Maple Grove, Minnesota, investigated a bomb threat at Thompson’s home hours after his death but found no devices.
Thompson’s killing has led some health insurers to reassess executive security. Police continue to seek public assistance in locating the suspect.
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