Tuesday morning, December 4, the CEO of an American insurance company listed on the stock exchange, Brian Thompson, 50, was killed in the heart of New York. The attacker is still on the run.
After the stupor, the fear. The day after the assassination of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, an American insurance company listed on the stock exchange, in the heart of Manhattan, a terrible detail emerged in the American press. According to several sources, messages were written on the bullets and cartridge cases which targeted the 50-year-old man and if the experts are still trying to decipher them, our colleagues are already talking about the words “deny”, “depose” and “defend” .
Wednesday, December 4, at 6:46 a.m., Brian Thompson was going to enter the Hilton hotel on Sixth Avenue, in the Midtown district, where a UnitedHealthcare conference was to be held, when a hooded man robbed him with his weapon. The individual, who appears to be an experienced shooter and who was equipped with a silencer, fired at least three times in the direction of the CEO, causing him to stumble and then collapse to the ground. The assailant's weapon then jammed, but he managed to free it and resumed firing at the victim, who was then helplessly trying to escape by crawling.
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He fled by running, then using an electric bike. And if the police have, for the moment, not yet found his trace (lost near Central Park), they remain hopeful of quickly finding him thanks to video surveillance images from the city of New York.
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Targeted by an investigation
According to police, “this was not a random act of violence, on the contrary it appears that the victim was specifically targeted, but at this stage we do not know why.” It also appears that this was a “premeditated and planned” attack. His wife told NBC News that her late husband had already been the subject of “threats”, without being able to say more.
Brian Thompson, 50, joined UnitedHealthcare in 2004 and became CEO in 2021. As such, he was, like many senior executives of the company, targeted by an “antitrust” investigation by the Department of Justice . His company is also regularly criticized for its unfortunate habit of “systematically” rejecting its customers’ refund requests.
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Married and father of two boys, Brian Thompson is described, in private, as “a very respected friend”, “a mentor”, an “honest man”, “so humble, kind, joyful and full of life”, reports the “New YorkPost.” “BT has always fought for employees and members, making sure everyone understands the importance of compassion and recognition,” a former colleague wrote on Facebook. He lived in Minnesota, where he purchased a 5-bedroom house for $1 million in 2018.
In a statement to FOX 9, Paulette Thompson, his wife, said, “We are devastated to learn of the senseless murder of our beloved Brian. Brian was an incredibly loving, generous and 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 he will be greatly missed. We thank you for your well wishes and ask for your privacy as our family navigates this difficult time. »
