Police said that a masked gunman killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, in a “premeditated, preplanned targeted attack” outside the New York Hilton Midtown on Sixth Avenue in the heart of Manhattan. Shell casings at the scene where Thompson was shot dead had the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” written on them, a senior New York City law enforcement official briefed on the investigation confirmed to NBC News on Thursday. ABC News was the first to report the words written on the bullet casings.
Security video showed Thompson, dressed in a blue suit, walking down the street. The gunman approached him from behind and opened fire, it showed. Thompson stumbled forward as a witness ran to safety. The gunman continued to fire as Thompson fell to the ground, the video showed. Thompson, who did not travel with any personal security detail despite known threats against him, was on his way to speak at UnitedHealth Group's investor conference when the gunman who had been lying in wait for several minutes approached from behind and fired at least once into his back and at least once in the right calf, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told a news conference Wednesday. Police say they don't yet know the motive of the gunman, who they say is still at large.
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