Minnesota Governor Walz and Senator Klobuchar name homicide of CEO tragic and horrifying
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz in the present day expressed his deepest condolences to the household of Thompson, whose firm relies within the state.
“I knew Brian. Tragic,” Walz mentioned in the present day at a state price range information convention. He mentioned he hopes the particular person accountable is delivered to justice.
“Solely our deepest condolences to the household. Horrible tragedy,” Walz mentioned.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., additionally expressed shock.
“This can be a horrific and surprising act of violence. “My ideas are with Brian Thompson’s household and family members and all those that work at United Healthcare in Minnesota,” Klobuchar wrote on X this morning.
UnitedHealthcare has greater than 18,000 workers in Minnesota, it says on its web site.
Who was Brian Thompson?
Thompson, 50, was named CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021, in keeping with his biography web page, and joined UnitedHealth Group in 2004.

Beforehand he was government director of UnitedHealthcare's authorities packages, together with Medicare & Retirement and Neighborhood & State. He was additionally the CEO of UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement.
Thompson is survived by his spouse and two kids.
Safety video captured the second Thompson was shot to dying outdoors a New York Metropolis lodge.
Thompson was on his approach to communicate on the UnitedHealth Group investor convention when the gunman approached him from behind and shot him a number of occasions. Police known as the assault “preplanned” and “focused.”
What’s UnitedHealthcare?
UnitedHealthcare, a part of UnitedHealth Group, is the biggest non-public medical health insurance supplier within the U.S., with greater than 50 million prospects of its medical health insurance merchandise. The corporate serves greater than 13 million Medicare-eligible adults and is the nation's largest supplier of Medicare Benefit providers. Thompson had been CEO of the division since 2021.
UnitedHealthcare's guardian firm has a market worth of $562 billion, which surpasses medical health insurance friends equivalent to Cigna, Humana, CVS Well being, Elevance and Centene. In its most up-to-date quarterly earnings report, UnitedHealth Group reported income of almost $99 billion. UnitedHealthcare was liable for most of that income.
UnitedHealth Group mentioned in a press release that it was “saddened and shocked by the passing of our expensive buddy and colleague Brian Thompson, CEO of United Healthcare. Brian was a colleague and buddy extremely revered by all who labored with him.”
NYPD Releases Images of Attainable Gunman
The NYPD launched pictures of the person needed in Thompson's taking pictures, though few identifiable options might be made out.
The images present what seems to be a white man sporting a hooded jacket, a backpack and a masking that obscures the decrease half of his face.

Thompson advised his spouse “some individuals had been threatening him”
Thompson's spouse, Paulette Thompson, mentioned her husband had been threatened earlier than.
“Sure, there have been some threats,” Thompson advised NBC Information. “Principally, I don't know, lack of protection? I don't know particulars. “I simply know that he mentioned there have been some individuals who had been threatening him.”
Thompson lived in Maple Grove, a suburb of Minneapolis, however police had not been notified of any threats in opposition to him, the commander mentioned. mentioned Jonathan Wetternach.
NYPD will probably be lively to maintain tonight's tree lighting protected
Tonight's tree lighting at Rockefeller Middle will proceed as scheduled following the deadly taking pictures of Thompson a couple of blocks away this morning.
NYPD officers assured the general public that the Christmas ceremony would have a big police presence to make sure everybody's security.
Plainclothes officers will probably be within the space, in addition to members of the division's intelligence division, “to verify individuals come out and have an excellent time,” NYPD Chief Jeffrey Maddrey mentioned.
“And we're additionally going to have extra law enforcement officials on the subway, so individuals can take public transportation to make it simpler to journey into the town and benefit from the tree,” Maddrey mentioned.
The search continues for the perpetrator of the homicide of the CEO
A search is underway for the shooter who fled the scene on foot after which on a rented bicycle, police mentioned.
He was final seen in Central Park. Crime Stoppers is providing a $10,000 reward for info.
Police mentioned the person was sporting a black hoodie and black pants and was carrying a grey backpack. He’s believed to have used a firearm with a silencer, an individual conversant in the matter advised CNBC.
Nothing random about Thompson's homicide outdoors lodge, NYPD says
Thompson was on his approach to communicate at an investor convention when he was killed in a “premeditated and deliberate focused assault” outdoors the New York Hilton in midtown Manhattan this morning.
He was hit at the very least as soon as within the again and at the very least as soon as in the proper calf, police mentioned, including that the gunman was “mendacity in anticipate a number of minutes.”
Police mentioned the gunman arrived on the lodge about 5 minutes earlier than the taking pictures and shot Thompson within the again.
“The motive for this homicide is at present unknown, however primarily based on the proof we’ve up to now, it seems that the sufferer was particularly focused,” mentioned Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. “However proper now we don't know why.”
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny advised reporters that UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson didn’t seem to have security tools and was strolling alone when he was fatally shot.