NEW YORK — New video and images obtained by NBC News reveal the "brazen" nature of the shooting that killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York on Wednesday morning.
Still images from surveillance video show the gunman approaching Thompson from behind, standing just feet away as he pointed a gun at Thompson's back. At least one bystander can also be seen standing nearby.
The shooter appeared to be “lying in wait for several minutes” before approaching Thompson from behind and opening fire, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
“Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said, adding that the shooting "does not appear to be a random act of violence.”
According to investigators who reviewed the surveillance video, the shooter fired multiple times, interrupted by a brief gun jam, as Thompson stumbled forward and fell to the sidewalk. The shooter is then seen walking past Thompson 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.
Thompson was shot at least once in the back and once in the calf, Tisch said. Police had not yet established a motive.
The shooter, who police said appeared to be a man wearing a jacket, face mask and carrying a backpack, fled on foot before pedaling an e-bike into Central Park a few blocks away. The shooter was at large, sparking a search that included police drones, helicopters and dogs.
NYPD Crimestoppers have released additional images of the alleged gunman as their manhunt for the shooter continues.
Thompson, 50, served as CEO of Minnetonka-based UnitedHealthcare since 2021.
