On December 4th, UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, 50, was fatally shot on a New York City sidewalk in Midtown Manhattan, scheduled to attend his company’s annual conference for investors inside a Hilton Hotel. Thompson had worked for UnitedHealthcare for 19 years and became CEO in April 2021.
The exact motive behind the killing is unconfirmed, yet heavily speculated. This was a targeted attack and is currently classified as a homicide. The words deny, defend and depose were carved into shell casings found at the scene, police sources informed news outlets. This evokes the title of a book called “Delay Deny Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It,” written by Jay Feinman, the book is critical about the insurance industry.
The suspect, currently unidentified, was seen wearing a hooded sweatshirt, ski mask, and a gray backpack during the crime. The ongoing manhunt has lasted for days and the suspect is wanted by the New York Police Department. “The gunman was described as a light-skinned male wearing a light brown or cream-colored jacket with a hood over his head, a black facemask, black-and-white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack,” as stated in USA Today. The FBI and NYPD are offering a total $60,000 in exchange for information about the suspect.
