Paulette Thompson, the wife of Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthcare CEO who was fatally shot in Midtown Manhattan, revealed that her husband had been receiving threats prior to his tragic death.
Speaking to NBC News, she said the threats might have stemmed from his role as head of the health insurance giant’s division.
“Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage?” she said, referring to Brian’s role as CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s insurance division.
However, she admitted she didn’t know the full details, as her husband had only briefly mentioned them. “I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him,” Paulette said during a phone interview.
Family left in shock
The grieving widow confirmed that authorities informed her the murder was likely a “targeted attack.” Struggling to come to terms with the loss, she added, “I can’t really give a thoughtful response right now. I just found this out and I’m trying to console my children.”
Brian Thompson, 50, was shot early Wednesday morning outside the Hilton Hotel on 6th Avenue, where he was attending UnitedHealth Group’s Investor Day conference. The masked assailant, armed with a handgun fitted with a silencer, fired at Thompson multiple times before fleeing the scene on a bike.
NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the killing as a “premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack.”
As per the New York Post, surveillance footage and photos from the crime scene showed the suspect, clad in a dark hoodie and black mask, lying in wait before pulling the trigger.
First responders performed CPR and rushed Thompson to Mount Sinai Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival.
Andrew Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group, acknowledged the tragic loss of a key leader in the company, which is the largest private health insurer in the United States, employing over 100,000 people. The company had been hosting its conference at the Hilton on the day of the shooting.
NYPD Crime Stoppers has announced a $10,000 reward for information about the suspect, who remains at large.
