Thu Dec 05 17:22:44 UTC 2024: ## UnitedHealthcare CEO Gunned Down in Midtown Manhattan; Cryptic Message Found at Scene
**New York, NY** – Brian Thompson, 50, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot Wednesday morning outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel just before a scheduled investor meeting. The brazen attack has left investigators baffled, focusing on a cryptic message seemingly linked to a book critical of the insurance industry.
Police recovered three shell casings inscribed with the words “deny,” “depose,” and “defend” at the crime scene. These words bear a striking resemblance to the title of Jay Feinman’s 2010 book, *Delay, Deny, Defend*, which criticizes insurance company practices. The suspect, still at large, also left behind a water bottle and cell phone, potentially providing crucial forensic evidence.
Surveillance footage shows a masked individual, carrying a high-end backpack often used by photographers, using a silencer before shooting Thompson multiple times. The CEO succumbed to his injuries at a local hospital. Police also found three live 9mm rounds at the scene.
Thompson’s wife recently revealed that he had received threats prior to the shooting. The motive remains unclear, but the message on the shell casings suggests a possible connection to the criticism levied against the insurance industry in Feinman’s book. The investigation is ongoing, with police pursuing numerous leads, including tracing the discarded phone and water bottle. No arrests have been made.
First Piper 