Starbucks and a Silencer: What Led to UnitedHealthcare CEO’s Cold-Blooded Killing

It took around 40 minutes for an assassin to locate UnitedHealth Group CEO Brian Thompson, fire three shots at him, and then vanish on Wednesday morning outside of the New York Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan.

Thompson, 50, was in town from Minnesota to attend an investor conference hosted by the publicly traded health insurance giant, which is also headquartered in Minnesota. He was transported six blocks away to Mount Sinai West hospital and pronounced dead just as the conference was getting underway at 8 a.m.

In a news conference, the New York Police Department said Thompson’s shooting appeared to be a “premeditated, preplanned targeted attack,” and the assassin’s reported movements leading up to Thompson’s final moments appear to support this assessment.

“Many people passed the suspect but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” said police commissioner Jessica Tisch, adding that the suspect appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” for Thompson.

Police also released snapshots of someone who appears to be the suspect stopping at a Starbucks, located blocks away at W. 56th Street and 6th Avenue, just minutes before the shooting. According to its hours, the store opens at 5 a.m.

A Hilton hotel worker said a man, believed to be the suspect, came up to the second floor of the building around 6 a.m., when breakfast was being served for UnitedHealth’s conference attendees, reported the Wall Street Journal. The suspect was dressed in a black hoodie, black pants and carrying a gray backpack, according to NBC News.

At some point, the suspect then left the building and was spotted pacing around at 6:15 a.m. in a corporate park across the street from the hotel’s 54th Street entrance, according to that same hotel worker, reported WSJ.

Thompson left his nearby hotel, the name of which was not made public by police, and approached the Hilton around 6:45 a.m. His colleagues believe he was going to set up early for the event when he was attacked outside from behind by the suspect. The suspect, who witnesses said was wearing gloves, shot Thompson in the back and once in the leg. He then proceeded to shoot at Thompson at least one more time before his gun seemed to jam, according to witnesses and video of the incident.

A police source told the New York Post that the shooting suspect appeared to try fixing the gun, which was outfitted with a silencer, so that it could be fired again.

Investigating police recovered three shell casings, three live rounds from the scene. A cellphone, a water bottle and a candy wrapper was found where the suspect was believed to have been waiting for Thompson, reported ABC News.

The Daily Beast contacted the New York Police Department for an update on the investigation but did not receive a reply.

Investigators are still searching for a potential motive behind Thompson’s killing, with the CEO’s wife Paulette telling NBC News that her husband had received several recent threats.

“Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details,” she said. “I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”

The suspect escaped on an e-bike, riding five blocks north to Central Park, where he was last seen at 6:48 a.m.

Cops first said the getaway vehicle was a Citi Bike—part of a fleet of city-sponsored bikes that are outfitted with GPS technology—but CNN cited a law enforcement source later Wednesday night who said that assessment was not correct.

Police are offering up to a $10,000 reward for information that could lead to his arrest. According to police, they do not believe he is a threat to the public.

Although the New York Hilton hotel has frequently played host for high-profile clients—it regularly hosted Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton’s Clinton Global Initiative event until recently, for example—the guest services experience at the property seems to be hit or miss.

The hotel scored a 4.1 out of 5 stars on Google, with a recent guest commenting, “A pair of sandals were stolen from my room and never found nor replaced. Grimy place.”

Another commentator addressed Thompson’s shooting and security at the building, writing on Wednesday: “Someone shot outside the lobby this morning. Horrible experience and they should have better security.”

Thompson took the helm of UnitedHealth’s insurance unit in 2021 after having been with the company since 2004. According to the company’s recently released proxy statement, Thompson earned a $1 million salary and $8 million in stock and option awards last year. WSJ reported that Thompson’s total pay averaged $9.92 million over the past three years. He was worth an estimated 43 million.

In May, Thompson was sued by the Hollywood Firefighters’ Pension Fund, a lawsuit that alleged he engaged in an insider trading scheme. UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty and Executive Chairman Stephen Hemsley were also named in the lawsuit. The Pension Fund accused the health care executives of scheming to inflate the company’s stock in the midst of a DOJ investigation, reported CNN.

“Brian was a truly extraordinary person who touched the lives of countless people throughout our organization and far beyond. It’s a terrible tragedy,” said Witty in a video message to employees.

Thompson is survived by his two sons with his wife Paulette.

The Daily Beast could not reach a UnitedHealth representative for comment.