As questions swirl around the motive behind the brazen daytime shooting of the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, his wife, Paulette Thompson, says he had been receiving threats over a lack of health insurance coverage before his murder. 

Thompson was on his way to the New York Hilton Hotel in a suit and tie for an annual UnitedHealthcare investor conference shortly before 7 a.m. Wednesday when he was fatally shot by a masked gunman, who police say was lying in wait for “several minutes.” 

The shooting in the nation’s largest city, which is blanketed by surveillance cameras, during the busy holiday season, and the suspect’s ability to evade law enforcement has sparked questions about how the shooter knew where Thompson would be, how he got away, and what the gunman’s motive was. 

Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that there “had been some threats” against her husband before the shooting. 

“Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him,” she said. 

Thompson was also facing accusations of fraud and insider trading before his murder. The Wall Street Journal reported in February that the Justice Department opened an antitrust investigation into UnitedHealth, which owns America’s largest health insurer, amid allegations that it was unfairly restricting competition. 

Investigators reportedly spoke to healthcare industry representatives in fields where UnitedHealth competes. Specifically, the Journal reported investigators were interested in the relationship between UnitedHealthcare’s insurance unit and its Optum health services company. The probe focused on how Optum’s acquisition of doctor groups could impact rivals.

In May, the City of Hollywood Firefighter’s Pension Fund filed a lawsuit against UnitedHealth, alleging that the company did not reveal that it was under federal investigation and that top executives sold more than $120 million of shares before the existence of the investigation was reported. In October, the pension fund filed a complaint against Thompson for allegedly selling 31 percent of his stock in the company and receiving $15.1 million in proceeds without disclosing that the company was under investigation. 

UnitedHealthcare did not respond to a request for comment from the Sun by the time of publication. 

Law enforcement officials say the shooting of Thompson appears to have been targeted and premeditated, but they have not released any details about a potential motive. The New York City police commissioner, Jessica Tisch, told reporters during a press conference that “many” people passed the gunman before the shooting, but he “appeared to wait” for Thompson to pass by.

The chief of detectives, Joseph Kenny, declined to share if investigators had any information about threats against Thompson. However, he said it did not appear Thompson had a security team with him at New York City.

Surveillance camera video of the shooting shows Thompson walking down the sidewalk when the gunman emerges from behind an SUV and opens fire, striking him in the back. 

As the shooting unfolded, a bystander fled the scene as the gunman remained focused on Thompson. 

The video appears to show the suspect racking the slide of his firearm multiple times as he walked toward Thompson. Law enforcement says the firearm malfunctioned during the attack, but the gunman was able to clear the gun and continue shooting. 

Witnesses say the gunman appeared to have a silencer on his firearm.

Investigators recovered three live 9mm rounds and three discharged shell casings Mr. Kenny told reporters. They also recovered a cell phone near the scene. 

The suspect was described as a “light-skinned male” wearing a light brown jacket, black face mask, black and white shoes, and a “very distinctive” grey backpack.

He fled on foot, then got on a New York Citi Bike and rode toward Central Park, where he was last seen. By Wednesday afternoon, police were still conducting a manhunt for the shooter and seeking information to identify the suspect. 

Officials are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the gunman. 
UnitedHealth said in a statement it was “deeply saddened and shocked” by the murder of Thompson. It canceled its investor conference after the news of the attack.