On December 4, 2024, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed outside in New York City. The attack happened at 6:45 a.m. while he was on his way to the company’s annual investor conference.
Brian Thompson, 50, was the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the largest health insurer in the U.S. The suspect, still unknown, who still hadn’t been found, was known to be calm and quick during his attack, so attention wouldn’t be drawn to him. The targeted shooting happened right outside the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan.
After an intense investigation, the NYPD announced the other day that the suspect has been identified and arrested. The suspect, 42-year-old Marcus Delaney, was apprehended late Sunday evening at a remote cabin in upstate New York.
The authorities have revealed that Delaney meticulously planned the attack over the past couple months. After using surveillance footage, witness statements, and evidence from a nearby hostel where Delaney had stayed, the investigators were able to put together his movements before and after the shooting. Delaney had been following Thompson’s schedule for weeks, waiting for the perfect moment to follow through with his plan.
During a search of Delaney’s residence, police discovered a cache of untraceable gun components, additional ammunition, and detailed notes outlining his grievances against UnitedHealthcare. From what law enforcement had said, the shell casings left at the crime scene inscribed with words like “deny” and “defend” leaving a chilling reflection of his frustration with the health insurer’s policies.
“I wasn’t familiar with that gun at all,” said CNN senior law enforcement analyst Charles Ramsey, basically saying he used a ghost gun that no one could trace. Because of this, it made the person even harder to trace and find.
“But I’m not underestimating the intelligence of this particular suspect,” said criminologist Casey Jordan. The suspect planned this out better than they thought, law enforcement still has no idea how the shooter knew Thompson would be walking past him around 6:45 a.m.
