UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson killed outside NYC hotel: Timeline of what happened

NEW YORK CITY (FOX 9) - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who lives in Minnesota, was fatally shot in New York City on Wednesday morning and police broke down the timeline of events leading up to and immediately following the "brazen, targeted attack."

Timeline of events

Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny shared a timeline of events that led to the fatal shooting of Thompson on Wednesday morning in New York City. Here's what we know.

• Undetermined time: Police say the gunman arrived outside the Hilton Hotel approximately five minutes before Thompson and stood alongside the building line.
• 6:44 a.m.: Thompson exits his hotel, crosses the street to the Hilton Hotel and is seen walking alone on the sidewalk outside the building. Police believe Thompson was planning to attend the UnitedHealth Group Investors Conference happening at the hotel later that morning.
• Undetermined time: The gunman steps onto the sidewalk from behind a car and approaches Thompson, shooting him in the back. The gunman continues walking toward Thompson while shooting when police say the firearm appears to have malfunctioned. The man clears the jam, fires again and flees on foot into a nearby alleyway between 54th Street and West 55th Street. 

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• 6:46 a.m.: Police responded to a 911 call reporting that someone had been shot in front of the Hilton Hotel located on 6th Avenue between 53rd and 54th streets.  
• Undetermined time: Once on West 55th Street, the gunman continues to walk westbound on 6th Avenue and gets onto a city e-bike. He continues riding northbound toward Central Park. 
• 6:48 a.m.: Police say the gunman was seen riding the bike into Central Park at Center Drive. 
• 6:48 a.m.: Officers arrived at the scene and found Thompson on the sidewalk in front of the hotel with gunshot wounds to his back and leg. EMS personnel transported Thompson to the hospital. 
• 7:12 a.m.: Thompson was pronounced dead at Roosevelt Hospital. 

The investigation

Investigators in New York recovered several 9 mm shell casings from outside the hotel and a cellphone from the alleyway through which the suspect fled. They were also searching Thompson’s hotel room and interviewing his UnitedHealthcare colleagues, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at Wednesday's press conference. 

Meanwhile, the NYPD said it is working with law enforcement in Minnesota on this investigation. The Maple Grove Police Department on Wednesday said it responded to Thompson's home to notify his family of his death. 

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"Maple Grove investigators are in contact with the NYPD, who is leading the investigation. Further assistance will be provided if requested. No further information will be released at this time, for this is an ongoing investigation," the police department said in a press release. 

What's the motive?

Police at a press conference Wednesday called this a "brazen, targeted attack," with the suspect waiting for their intended target in this "premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack."

"It appears the suspect was lying in wait for several minutes and as the victim was walking to the conference hotel, the suspect approached from behind and fired several rounds, striking the victim at least once in the back and at least once in the right calf," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. 

Tisch said many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target.

No arrests have been made, but there is a reward for up to $10,000 for information leading to the suspect's arrest. 

Although police said this was a targeted attack, the motive for the shooting is unknown, police said.