Police are looking for the person who shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a planned attack in the heart of New York City.
The masked gunman was “lying in wait” outside the Hilton Midtown shortly before 7 a.m. Wednesday, according to New York police commissioner Jessica Tisch. Thompson was on his way to attend his company’s annual investor meeting at the hotel.
CNN uncovered surveillance video revealing that Thompson was shot in the rear by a dark-hooded man with a grey bag as he approached the building.
Thompson then lurched forward before turning to face his attacker and collapsing to the ground. The gunman moved calmly towards the CEO and continued to shoot, briefly clearing a jam with the rifle before firing again, according to video.
Thompson was pronounced dead shortly after the event, and the search for the gunman who ran into Central Park continued on Thursday.
Police are reviewing security footage and looking for evidence that the gunman may have left behind while fleeing the area.
The phrases “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” were found on the shot casings retrieved at the shooting scene, according to ABC News, citing police sources.
CNN contacted the New York Police Department, which declined comment.
Police have described the shooting as a “premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack” near West 53rd Street and 6th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, just blocks from Rockefeller Centre, where the annual Christmas tree lighting celebration was conducted Wednesday night. The motivation behind the shooting remains unclear.
