Authorities in New York City are in pursuit of an assassin who took the life of the primary head of UnitedHealthcare, the country’s leading health insurance issuer, in front of a hotel in Manhattan on a recent Wednesday. The victim of this tragic incident, 50-year-old Brian Thompson, was at the helm of UnitedHealthcare — ranked as the fourth largest publicly traded company in the United States. For his perpetrators, law enforcement agencies are suggesting the involvement of a skilled and experienced professional hitman. Thompson was victimized while entering the hotel in which his company organized an investors’ meet.
The detectives investigating this case have disclosed that the words ‘defend,’ ‘deny,’ and ‘depose’ were inscribed on the bullet casings discovered at the location of the crime. Intriguingly, these words are reminiscent of the title of a book that openly criticizes the way health insurance firms operate. The fatal shooting of Thompson occurred early in the morning, exactly at 6:45, right before the sun was about to rise.
On that day, Thompson was in the ‘Big Apple’ for the yearly investors’ summit of the UnitedHealthcare group. The meeting was scheduled to start around 8 am. As he was nearing the hotel’s entryway, surveillance footage reveals a picture of an armed man emerging from between two stationary vehicles parked behind Thompson. The attacker, at a proximity of roughly 15ft (approximately 4.6m) from Thompson, pulls out his gun and discharges at least thrice.
The assault resulted in Thompson being struck twice towards his back and calf before he collapsed onto the pedestrian pathway. The firearm, suspected to have been equipped with a 9mm muffler, appeared to experience a hitch. As a result, the gunman has to readjust the gun before firing again.
An onlooker was present during the horrific incident. Nevertheless, the killer did not attempt to engage with the bystander and instead chose to vacate the location. He crossed over to the other side of the street and vanished down a side path. Images captured by security CCTV indicate the assassin making his getaway on an electric bicycle. According to police, he was last seen navigating through Central Park.
First responders shortly reached the site of the crime, which is close to the Rockefeller Center. Coincidentally, this location had hosted the famous annual Christmas light-switching event several hours later on the same day. In the face of the tragic events, the UnitedHealthcare business meeting proceeded as planned and started on time.
Brian Thompson’s journey with UnitedHealthcare began in 2004 after he moved from an accountancy firm. By April 2021, he had worked his way up to the top, occupying the position of CEO. Before this, he had served as CEO of the company’s government programs sector.
UnitedHealthcare vastly dominates the Medicare Advantage plans market in the United States. The entity also administers insurance policies for various employers and state-funded and federal schemes. It ranks as the fourth largest public company in the country, falling behind big names such as Walmart, Amazon, and Apple.
Thompson made his home in a suburban neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. His residence was conveniently located at a driving distance of around 20 minutes from the company’s main office. Thompson’s educational background traces back to the University of Iowa. Outside of his professional life, Thompson was a family man, a husband, and a father of two.
The police department is treating the shooting incident as a clearly calculated, well-planned, and targeted strike rather than a random act of violence. The police commissioner of New York has stated that the assassin appeared to have been ‘stationed and waiting’ for Thompson for a considerable amount of time before his hotel arrival.
Emergency services’ recording of the 911 call describes the suspect as approximately 5ft 10in in height, identified as a white male dressed in all black. He had taken precautions to cover his face with a mask and was carrying a grey bag. After a thorough investigation at the crime scene, detectives discovered numerous shell casings outside the hotel. Distinctly, the words ‘defend’, ‘deny’ and ‘depose’ were marked on them, according to city law enforcement.
These aforementioned inscriptions bear a striking similarity to the title of a book named ‘Delay, Deny, Defend’. The book enlightens readers about the unwillingness of insurance companies to pay claims and advises on actions against such behavior.
Investigators have meticulously combed through Thompson’s hotel room in search of additional evidence. Even his colleagues became subjects of questioning, and a close examination of Thompson’s online presence has been undertaken in the pursuit of any potential leads. One line of thought explores the possibility of Thompson embroiled in a white-collar crime, prompting his criminal associates to silence him to prevent any contact with the police.
Alternatively, a potential scandal involving insider stock trading could provide an explanation. Currently, law enforcement agencies have refrained from speculating about the motive of the crime. Simultaneously, they have promised a reward of $10,000, equivalent to £7,860, for any information that can provide substantial leads in solving this grim mystery.