The UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, was shot dead by a masked gunman in front of a New York City hotel. The shell casings found at the scene had the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” written on them. The shooting was described as a “premeditated, preplanned targeted attack.” Despite known threats, Thompson did not have personal security with him. The motive for the shooting is still unknown. The gunman is still at large. Security footage showed the moment Thompson was shot, and he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. Investigators recovered evidence, including a video of the suspect purchasing items from a nearby Starbucks before the shooting. Former FBI supervisor Rob D’Amico believed the murder was a personal vendetta tied to the victim’s company and that online information could have made it easy for anyone to locate Thompson. The investigation is ongoing, and no current or former executives of UnitedHealth Group had regular company-funded personal security. Other insurance giants like Humana and Cigna provide personal security to their executives. CVS Health requires its CEO to use corporate aircraft and a corporate driver as part of an executive security program.
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