We’re now closing this live blog. You can read our latest full report here:
Here’s what we know for now at a glance:
And my colleague Dominic Rushe wrote about who Brian Thompson was:
Surveillance video near the scene is said to show the suspect arriving in the area at least 10 minutes before the shooting.
The New York Times reports a person believed to be the shooter appears to make a phone call at about 6.30am local time, just feet aware from where Brian Thompson was shot shortly afterwards.
The latest photos released by New York police reportedly show the suspect at a Starbucks coffee shop minutes before the shooting.
The BBC reports the images were taken from security cameras at the Starbucks on 6th Avenue and West 55th Street – a short walk from the hotel where Brian Thompson was killed.
Police are processing evidence found at the Starbucks for DNA and fingerprints, the BBC said.
What have we learned about the suspect?
Police continue to hunt the gunman who shot Brian Thompson outside his New York City hotel on Wednesday morning.
On Wednesday afternoon, New York police released additional images of the suspect – showing him wearing a dark jacket with the hood up, a dark mask pulled up over his nose, dark trousers and a grey backpack.
The gunman arrived at the location on foot about five minutes before Thompson’s arrival, police said. From surveillance video, police said Thompson was seen at 6.44am ET walking alone towards the Hilton.
Police said video showed the gunman appearing to ignore other pedestrians. Officials said he approached Thompson from behind and shot him in the back before moving toward the victim and continuing to shoot.
Authorities said the gun appeared to malfunction, and the gunman cleared the jam before firing again and fleeing northbound into an alleyway between 54th Street and 55th Street. The shooter then continued to walk westbound on the Avenue of the Americas, where he got on to an electric Citi Bike and rode northbound towards Central Park.
Police say they recovered three live 9mm rounds and three discharged 9mm shell casings. Authorities also recovered a cellphone.
Officials have said that no arrests have been made yet and that the investigation is ongoing. The motive is currently unknown.
Here are the latest images from the newswires after the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson:
The day so far
A manhunt is under way in New York City as police continue to search for a gunman who fatally shot Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, one of the US’s largest health insurers, early on Wednesday morning.
Here is what we know so far:
Thompson, 50, was in New York City for the annual UnitedHealthcare investor conference scheduled for Wednesday.
But at around 6.45 am local time, a man wearing a mask approached him outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan and shot him multiple times, police said, killing him.
The gunman, who has not yet been identified, then fled the scene, first on foot, and then on an electric Citi Bike and headed toward Central Park, where they were last seen.
Thompson was found by police on the sidewalk in front of the Hilton, with gunshot wounds to his back and his leg. He was transported to the hospital in critical condition and pronounced dead at 7.12am.
Police reported that they recovered three live nine-millimeter rounds and three discharged nine-millimeter shell casings. They also found a mobile phone in an alley where the suspect fled, and are currently analyzing it.
The gunman has been described as a light-skinned male, who was wearing a light-brown or cream-colored jacket, a black face mask, black and white sneakers, and was carrying a “very distinctive grey backpack”.
Police believe that Thompson was targeted in the attack and said that this did not “appear to be a random act of violence”.
New York’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, stated, “Every indication is that this was a premeditated, pre-planned targeted attack.”
The police are offering up to $10,000 to anyone with information regarding Thompson’s death.
A motive is not yet known.
Thompson’s wife told NBC News that her husband had been receiving threats but that she didn’t know the details.
She also described her husband “an incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives” as well as a loving father of two sons. “We are shattered to hear about the senseless killing of our beloved Brian” she added.
Updated
Reporting from Minnesota:
The police department in the city where Thompson lives – Maple Grove, Minnesota – said it had notified Thompson’s family of his murder this morning, at the request of the New York City police department.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the Thompson family during this difficult time,” the department said in a statement.
The Maple Grove police department said it is in contact with the NYPD and would provide further assistance if requested.
There was one reported suspicious activity incident on file with the Maple Grove police department at the Thompson residence in 2018, which was cleared with no criminal activity detected, the department said. The department said it has no record of any reports of threats against Thompson.
Eden Prairie, a city where a United Healthcare headquarters building is located, said its police have not received any reports of threats or other concerns related to United Healthcare.
Updated
Minnesota Representative-elect, Kelly Morrison, has also released a statement on the incident.
“This is a horrific tragedy – my heart goes out to Brian’s family and loved ones and everyone at United healthcare” Morrison said.
Updated
Minnesota congresswoman Angie Craig has released a statement on the shooting.
“This is horrifying news” Craig said. “I’m sending my deepest condolences to Brian Thompson’s family members, loved ones and the entire UnitedHealthcare team.”
“This kind of violence is never acceptable” she added.
NYPD releases additional photos of shooting suspect
The New York police department have released additional photos of the suspect.
Updated
Steve Parente, a health economist at the University of Minnesota and a former healthcare official in the first Trump administration, has praised Thompson, describing him as an “incredible guy”.
In an interview with the Minnesota Star Tribune, Parente said that he worked with Thompson to help develop a system for distributing federal financial aid to healthcare providers during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, while Parente was working in the White House.
”He was just an incredible guy – nice, resourceful,” Parente said. “This is just a total tragedy.”
Minnesota Senator Tina Smith has also commented on the killing, calling it a “horrifying tragedy.”
Updated
Shooting will not impact the annual Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, police say
Police said during the news conference that the shooting would not affect the annual Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, which is only a few blocks away from the Hilton Hotel.
“Millions of people will be enjoying the tree lighting tonight, among other holiday events, and the NYPD will be out there with them, keeping them safe,” said New York City’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch.
The tree lighting ceremony is scheduled to begin at 7 pm ET on Wednesday evening.
“This incident will not affect the tree lighting” a police official added. “The tree lighting is slated to start at 7pm, the actual lighting of the tree will be closer 10 o’clock.”
“We will have a massive police presence out there around Rockefeller Center from 52nd street all the way down to 47th Street” authorities said, adding that additional police officers were also going to be in the subway as well.
Updated
A witness who heard the gunfire described the incident as “pretty scary”.
Christian Diaz told Reuters he heard the gunfire from the nearby University Club Hotel where he works.
“The police were here in seconds” Diaz said. “It’s New York. It’s not normal here at seven in the morning but it’s pretty scary.”
Updated
Paulette Thompson calls attack on her husband 'senseless'
Brian Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, has released a statement, calling the killing of her husband “senseless.”
The statement, obtained by CNN, states:
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.
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.
Updated
Minnesota congressman Dean Phillips has shared a statement on the shooting.
“I’m horrified by the assassination of my constituent, Brian Thompson, this morning in NYC and have his family in my prayers,” Phillips posted to X.
The suspect was last spotted in Central Park, authorities say
Police said on Wednesday that the gunman was last seen in Central Park on center drive early on Wednesday morning, after fleeing the scene by foot and then on an electric Citi Bike.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a helicopter was reported flying overhead in Central Park, according to the New York Times.
Updated
A former UnitedHealth Group executive who worked with Thompson for over a decade has described him as “humble” and a “family man.”
Speaking with the Minnesota Star Tribune, John Penshorn, a former UnitedHealth Group executive who worked with Thompson for more than a decade before retiring in 2019, said that Thompson was humble, a servant-leader and family man.”
The Minnesota Star Tribune is reporting that the principal of Wayzata High School, where one of Thompson’s sons is currently a student and the other has recently graduated, sent a note to staff this morning expressing deep sympathy for the family.
“Wayzata High School has taken immediate steps to support our students and staff, as they process this devastating event,” Principal Scott Gengler wrote in a memo shared with the Star Tribune.
“Our student support teams are available and are offering a safe and supportive space for students and staff to grieve and find comfort” it added. “Additionally, our dedicated team of social workers is available to provide personalized support and guidance for those who need it.”
A spokesperson for Lyft, which runs CitiBike, said that the company was ready to help authorities with the investigation.
The spokesperson, Eric Smith told the Washington Post that the company stood “ready to assist law enforcement with this investigation”.
Smith added that the company had yet not been contacted by New York police regarding the investigation as of Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities have said the gunman fled the scene of the shooting on a electric CitiBike bicycle.
Updated
Police release security camera images of gunman as manhunt continues
Here are the photos that the police have released of the gunman:
Updated
New York governor Kathy Hochul says 'hearts are with the family' after 'horrific' shooting
New York governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement that she has been briefed on the “horrific and targeted shooting”.
According to the Washington Post, Hochul said that she has directed state police to provide local authorities with “any necessary assistance.”
“Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of Mr. Thompson and we are committed to ensuring the perpetrator is brought to justice” Hochul added.
Updated
Reporting from Minnesota:
UnitedHealthcare has been the subject of public and governmental scrutiny for its practices, particularly its pattern of denying coverage for claims.
At a protest outside the company’s headquarters in Minnesota in July 2024, 11 people were arrested and cited for blocking a roadway after gathering to protest United Healthcare’s coverage issues, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. At the time, the company said its employees’ safety was its top priority.
People’s Action Institute, which organized the July protest and an earlier one against the company, said in July that people who are on the company’s insurance and medical professionals had “petitioned, protested and spoken directly to the chief medical officer of UnitedHealth Group about our concerns, but their leadership has refused to acknowledge that prior authorizations and claim denials are a widespread problem”.
Jenn Coffey, who used to be a Republican state lawmaker in New Hampshire, has participated in protests against the company and spoken publicly about claim and coverage denials for medical treatment.
“I stood in United healthcare’s Headquarters in Minnesota and told them I didn’t want to die,” she wrote on her website. “I’m left feeling that is the very thing they are hoping for.”
Updated
Brian Thompson’s sister-in-law Elena Reveiz said this morning that she was still processing the news of Thompson’s death.
“He was a good person, and I am so sad,” Reveiz told the New York Times, adding that Thompson was a good father to his two children. Reveiz said she was on her way to be with their family.
Brian Thompson's wife says he received threats
While the motive still remains unclear, Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, has said that he had been receiving threats.
“There had been some threats,” she said in a phone call with NBC News. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”
She also told the outlet that the police had informed her that it appeared the shooting was “a planned attack.”
Updated
Amy Klobuchar, the US senator from Minnesota, described the shooting as a “horrifying and shocking act of violence”.
In a statement she added: “My thoughts are with Brian Thompson’s family and loved ones and all those working at UnitedHealthcare in Minnesota.”
Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, called the shooting “horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and healthcare community in Minnesota.”
In a statement on Wednesday, he added that “Minnesota is sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.”
Who is Brian Thompson?
Brian Thompson, 50, was named chief executive officer for UnitedHealthcare in April 2021, according to the company.
Prior to this role, he served as CEO of UnitedHealthcare government programs including Medicare and retirement and community and state.
Before leading government programs, Thompson served as CEO of UnitedHealthcare medicare and retirement.
Thompson, who lives in Minnesota, joined UnitedHealth Group in 2004.
New York Mayor Eric Adams said that the shooting did not appear to be a random attack and that police were reviewing evidence from the scene.
“This was not what appears to be a just random act of violence” Adams said, according to the Associated Press. “It seems to be clearly targeted by an individual and we will apprehend that individual.”
A driver who witnessed the incident, described the gun as a “silent” and “black gun.”
In an interview with ABC News, driver Amar Abdelmula said that he heard “the shot” adding: “It was silent gun, black gun.”
He said he saw the shooter running across the street and tried to take a picture but he was too far away.
“I was shocked,” Abdelmula said. He said he was afraid of being shot too, adding: “I saw everything.”
A spokesperson for the New York Hilton Midtown also released a statement.
“We are deeply saddened by this morning’s events in the area and our thoughts are with all affected by the tragedy” they said.
They directed any further questions the New York police department.
Reporting from Minnesota:
On Wednesday morning, two buildings associated with the company had their flags – US flags, Minnesota flags and company flags – at half mast.
There was a police officer outside one building, but otherwise the buildings were quiet.
Updated
UnitedHealthcare release a statement, describing Thompson as a 'highly respected colleague and friend'.
UnitedHealthcare released a statement on the incident shortly after noon ET.
The statement reads:
We are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him. We are working closely with the New York police department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.
What do we know about the gunman?
The police are still searching for the gunman and offering up to $10,000 to anyone with information regarding Thompson’s death.
Police have described the gunman as a light-skinned male, who was wearing a light-brown or cream-colored jacket, a black face mask, black and white sneakers, and had a “very distinctive grey backpack”.
In a flyer released by the New York police department, there are two surveillance photos of the gunman. The photos show a person dressed in black with a grey backpack, holding a firearm, and another of the gunman on a bicycle.
Officials have said that no arrests have been made yet and that the investigation is ongoing. The motive is currently unknown.
Updated
Police say that they recovered three live nine millimeter rounds and three discharged nine millimeter shell casings.
Authorities also recovered a mobile phone in an alley where the suspect fled, they said, adding that the phone is being analysed to see if it is connected to the shooting.
What does the video surveillance of the shooting show?
Police say the video surveillance footage shows that the gunman arrived at the location on foot approximately five minutes before Thompson’s arrival at the scene.
At 6.44am, Thompson is seen walking alone towards the Hilton.
The gunman appears to ignore other pedestrians passing by before approaching Thompson from behind and shooting him in the back, police say. The gunman then moves closer to Thompson and continues shooting.
Authorities say that the gun then appears to malfunction, prompting the gunman to clear the jam before firing again.
The shooter then flees northbound into an alleyway between 54th Street and 55th Street. The shooter then continues walking westbound on the Avenue of the Americas, where he is seen getting on an electric Citi Bike and riding northbound toward Central Park.
Updated
The New York police department chief of detectives, Joseph Kenny, said that Thompson was found by police on the sidewalk in front of the Hilton with gunshot wounds to his back and his leg.
Thompson was rushed to Mount Sinai hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead at 7.12am.
Updated
Police say shooting appears to have been 'premeditated' targeted attack
At a news conference on Wednesday, Police said that they believe that Thompson was targeted in the attack.
This was a “brazen targeted attack” said New York’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, adding that this “does not appear to be a random act of violence”.
“I want to be clear at this time, every indication is that this was a premeditated, pre-planned targeted attack,” she added.
Updated
A manhunt is underway in New York City after ‘brazen’ attack that killed UnitedHealthcare CEO
Police in New York City are searching for a gunman that fatally shot Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, one of the US’s largest health insurers, early on Wednesday morning.
Thompson was in New York City for the annual UnitedHealthcare investor conference that was scheduled to take place today.
But at about 6.45 am local time a man wearing a mask approached him outisde of the Hilton Hotel and fired at him repeatedly, police said, killing him.
Police have said that they believe that Thompson was targeted in the attack.
