Manhunt underway in New York after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson shot dead
In short:
UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson was fatally shot by a masked attacker as he was arriving at a hotel in Manhattan.
The New York Police Department says the attack "does not appear to be a random act of violence".
Police say the gunman is still at large and was last seen in Central Park.
A manhunt is underway in New York after a senior executive at America's largest health insurer was shot dead out the front of a Manhattan hotel, in what police suspect was a targeted attack.
Brian Thompson was the chief executive of UnitedHealth's insurance unit, UnitedHealthcare, and was slated to attend a company investor conference at the Hilton on Sixth Avenue hotel on Wednesday morning.
The attack happened before 7am, local time, and the suspected shooter, wearing a mask and carrying a grey backpack, fled on foot before mounting an electric bike and riding into Central Park, police said.
Brian Thompson was about to attend an investor meeting when he was shot. (AP/UnitedHealth Group)
Video showed the gunman arrived outside the Hilton about 5 minutes before Mr Thompson.
When Mr Thompson approached the hotel, the gunman shot him in the back with a pistol and then continued firing, even after his gun appeared to jam.
"This does not appear to be a random act of violence," New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
"It appears the suspect was lying in wait for several minutes."
The suspect pictured at a Starbucks outlet on Sixth Avenue about 30 minutes before the shooting. (NYPD)
Surveillance video reviewed by investigators shows the shooter emerging from behind a parked car, stopping and pointing a gun at Mr Thompson's back, holding it with two hands and firing multiple times from several feet away.
The suspect continues firing, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Mr Thompson stumbles forward and falls to the sidewalk. The shooter is then seen walking past him and out of the frame.
"From watching the video, it does seem that he's proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly," NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.
Police tape blocked off the area on 54th Street outside the Hilton on Wednesday, where blue plastic gloves were strewn about and plastic cups appeared to mark the location of several bullet casings.
NYPD published photos of the masked suspect taken at a Starbucks store he visited before the shooting and offered a $US10,000 ($15,500) reward for information leading to his arrest.
'Terrible loss'
The insurer's Minnesota-based parent company UnitedHealth Group Inc said it was "deeply saddened and shocked" at Mr Thompson's passing.
"Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him," the statement said.
NYPD crime scene investigators mark the spots where bullets were found after the shooting. (AP: Stefan Jeremiah)
"We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time."
Mr Thompson had served as CEO for more than three years and been with the company since 2004.
UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the US and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said the state was "sending our prayers to Brian's family and the UnitedHealthcare team".
"This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota," he wrote on X.
Paulette Thompson, Mr Thompson's wife, told NBC News her husband had been receiving threats.
"There had been some threats," she told NBC News.
"Basically, I don't know, a lack of coverage? I don't know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him," she said.
Reuters/AFP/AP