What We Know About UnitedHealthcare CEO Shooting—Suspect Used Fake ID At NYC Hostel

Topline

The suspected gunman who fatally shot Brian Thompson, the chief executive of private health insurer UnitedHealthcare, in Manhattan on Wednesday in what officers say was a “brazen targeted attack,” used a fake ID to stay at a hostel on the Upper West Side, multiple outlets reported Thursday.

Key Facts

How Did The Shooting Happen?

Video footage of the shooting shows the suspect walking behind Thompson, who was wearing a blue suit and appeared to be heading to the Hilton hotel alone. Thompson didn’t have a security detail and left his hotel alone, said Joe Kenny, the New York City Police Department’s chief of detectives, citing UnitedHealth employees. The suspect had checked out of the New York International Hostel in the Upper West Side Wednesday morning, the New York Times reported, and visited a Starbucks near the Hilton before waiting outside of the hotel.

What Did Police Find At The Scene?

Officers found three 9mm rounds at the scene, Kenny said. Bullet casings that were found had the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” written on them, ABC News reported, citing anonymous police sources. Though police have not named a motive in the killing, the words echo a common phrase—“delay, deny, defend”—describing allegations thrown at insurance companies that are accused of avoiding paying claims whenever they can. UnitedHealthcare and and other health insurance companies “have become frequent targets of criticism” for denying claims and making it harder to get care, the Associated Press reported earlier this year.

Was Thompson Targeted?

The gunman was “lying in wait for several minutes” and ignored other passers-by before approaching and firing at Thompson from behind as he walked to the hotel, New York City police commissioner Jessica Tisch said Wednesday. Tisch called the shooting a “brazen targeted attack” that did not appear to be a random act of violence, and that “every indication” pointed to a “premeditated, pre-planned targeted attack.” Thompson’s wife Paulette Thompson told NBC News Wednesday that while she did not know specific details, she was aware that “some people had been threatening him.” While the motive behind the attack is still unknown, the suspect appeared to be “proficient in the use of firearms” as he was able to clear a malfunction in the gun, Kenny said. Footage of the shooting shows there was another person present when the suspect raised his weapon at Thompson, who fled.

Has The Suspect Been Arrested?

The suspect, who fled first on foot then on an electric bike, was last seen in Central Park and is still at large, Tisch said. He is believed to be a light-skinned man who was wearing a light brown or cream-colored coat, black and white sneakers, a black face mask and a “very distinctive” gray backpack, Kenny said prior to the release of new photos of the suspect unmasked. Police are offering $10,000 to anyone with information related to Thompson’s death. New Yorkers should “go about their daily lives” but “be alert,” NYPD chief of department Jeffrey Maddrey said Wednesday, adding that the police have deployed drones and canines across the city to find the gunman. Investigators are reportedly looking into the purchase of a gun in Connecticut to determine whether the suspect could have bought it, the Times reported.

Further Reading

Who Is Brian Thompson? UnitedHealthcare CEO Fatally Shot After Being Threatened (Forbes)