Brian Thompson, a Maple Grove resident and CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was gunned down outside a Manhattan hotel in what police have described as a “planned attack.”
Disturbing footage of the incident, now circulating widely on the social media platform X, shows Thompson walking outside the Hilton Hotel when a masked gunman wearing a gray backpack pulled out a pistol equipped with a silencer.
The man fired multiple shots, hitting Thompson, who stumbled to the ground.
Thompson, a prominent figure in the healthcare industry, leaves behind his wife, Paulette “Pauley” Thompson, and their two teenage sons, according to the Daily Mail.
Pauley told NBC News that her husband had recently received threats, allegedly tied to grievances over healthcare coverage.
“There had been some threats. 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 said.
She added, “I can’t really give a thoughtful response right now. I just found this out and I’m trying to console my children.” She also confirmed that police told her the attack appeared to be premeditated.
“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,” she said in a later statement issued to the media.
Authorities in New York held a press conference a few hours after the shooting. They said the gunman, a white male wearing a ski mask, approached Thompson from behind and “fired several rounds.”
New York City police commissioner Jessica Tisch described the shooting as a “brazen, targeted attack.”
“This does not appear to be a random act of violence,” she said. “It appears the suspect was lying in wait for several minutes.”
She said Thompson was shot at least once in the back and at least once in the calf. As of Wednesday afternoon, the suspect was still on the loose.
Watch as @NYPDPC and NYPD executives brief the media on an ongoing investigation in Manhattan. https://t.co/r5oX5kE6cI
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 4, 2024
Thompson was scheduled to speak at an investor meeting at the Hilton Hotel.
Jenna Gloeb
Jenna Gloeb is an Edward R. Murrow Award-winning journalist, media producer, public speaker, and screenwriter. Most recently, she worked as a reporter and on-air host for CCX Media. Jenna is a Minnesota native and resides in the Twin Cities with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
