NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� A gunman killed UnitedHealthcare鈥檚 CEO on Wednesday in a 鈥渂razen, targeted attack鈥� outside a Manhattan hotel where the health insurer was holding its investor conference, police said, setting off a massive search for the fleeing assailant hours before the annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting nearby.
50, was shot around 6:45 a.m. as he walked alone to the New York Hilton Midtown from a nearby hotel, police said. The shooter appeared to be 鈥渓ying in wait for several minutes鈥� before approaching Thompson from behind and , New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive.
鈥淢any people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,鈥� Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.鈥�
Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows someone emerging from behind a parked car, pointing a gun at Thompson鈥檚 back, then firing multiple times from several feet away. The gunman continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. He then walks past Thompson and out of the frame.
鈥淔rom watching the video, it does seem that he鈥檚 proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,鈥� NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.
Thompson was shot at least once in the back and once in the calf, Tisch said.
The shooter, who wore a jacket, face mask and large backpack, fled through Midtown on foot before pedaling an electric bike into Central Park a few blocks away, police said. The assailant remained at large Wednesday afternoon, sparking a search that included police drones, helicopters and dogs.
鈥淏rian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,鈥� the insurer鈥檚 Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., said in a statement. "We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.鈥�
Police issued a poster showing a surveillance image of the man pointing what appeared to be a gun and another image that appeared to show the same person on a bicycle. Minutes before the shooting, he stopped at a nearby Starbucks, according to additional surveillance photos released by police on Wednesday afternoon. They offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Thompson鈥檚 wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her 鈥渢here were some people that had been threatening him.鈥� She didn鈥檛 have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage.
Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive.
The killing shook a part of New York City that is normally quiet at that hour, happening about four blocks from where tens of thousands of people were set to gather for Wednesday night鈥檚 tree lighting. Police promised extra security for the event.
The hotel is also a short walk from other tourist sites, including the Museum of Modern Art and Radio City Music Hall, and is often dense with office workers and visitors on weekday mornings. Many security cameras are nearby.
鈥淲e鈥檙e encouraging New Yorkers to go about their daily lives and their daily business but to be alert,鈥� NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said.
Investigators recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the shooter fled. They were also searching Thompson's hotel room, interviewing his UnitedHealthcare colleagues and reviewing his social media, Kenny said.
Police initially said the shooter rode into Central Park on a bicycle from the city鈥檚 bike-share program, CitiBike. But a spokesperson for the program鈥檚 operator, Lyft, said police officials informed the company Wednesday afternoon that the bike was not from the CitiBike fleet.
Health care giant UnitedHealth Group was holding its annual meeting with investors to update Wall Street on the company's direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early in the wake of Thompson's death.
鈥淚鈥檓 afraid that we 鈥� some of you may know we鈥檙e dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members,鈥� a company official told attendees, according to a transcript. 鈥淎nd as a result, I鈥檓 afraid we鈥檙e going to have to bring to a close the event today. ... I鈥檓 sure you鈥檒l understand.鈥�
Thompson, a father of two sons, had been with the company since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years.
UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S. and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz that the state is 鈥渟ending our prayers to Brian鈥檚 family and the UnitedHealthcare team.鈥�
鈥淭his is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,鈥� the Democrat wrote.
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Associated Press writers Tom Murphy in Indianapolis, Steve Karnowski in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Anthony Izaguirre in Albany, New York, contributed to this story.
Jake Offenhartz, Karen Matthews And Michael R. Sisak, The Associated Press
