UnitedHealthcare CEO May Have Hired His Own Killer—Former Police Commander

A former Maryland State Police commander suggested that UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson may have orchestrated his own assassination.

While talking with CNN, Major Neill Franklin told Dana Bash that it is a possibility that Thompson may have hired a gunman to kill him Wednesday morning. Thompson, 50, was fatally shot Wednesday around 6:45 a.m. on the street near the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Franklin believes the gunman knew too many details about Thompson’s moves.

“There are times when people have orchestrated their own demise for certain reasons,” Franklin said.

Bash asked Franklin if he was saying “it is a possibility that he hired someone to kill him.”

“Absolutely,” Franklin responded. “It cannot be ignored.”

In the pre-dawn attack, Thompson was outside of the Hilton hotel, where UnitedHealthcare was holding its investor conference.

Thompson was walking toward the Hilton dressed in a suit and tie when he was fired upon by a gunman who appeared to be lying in wait, police said. The suspect fled on foot to a back alley and then hopped on a bicycle in the direction of Central Park.

Emergency medical services (EMS) responded and transported Thompson to Mt. Sinai Hospital. He was in critical condition and then was declared dead at the hospital just after 7 a.m.

At a midday press conference from NYPD headquarters, police said they believe the shooting was a premeditated and preplanned targeted attack, and that the suspect appeared to be “proficient with firearms” based on surveillance video that captured the attack.

As of Friday at 12:30 p.m., no arrests have been made.