The murder of Brian Thompson in New York has increased the demand for security.
December 6, 2024, published at 5:30 PM ET
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The CEO of UnitedHealthcare was shot on the streets of Manhattan on Wednesday morning.
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Thompson was shot outside a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday morning as he headed to his company’s annual investor conference.
The investigation into the killer is still ongoing – although a new DNA sample from a water bottle possibly dropped by the suspect could be a big advance.
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Security firms recently reported a significant increase in inquiries from companies seeking to protect their executives following Thompson’s murder.
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In the aftermath of the assassination, both Pete Flintoff of Flint Security Agency and Glen Kucera of Allied Universal noticed a sharp increase in requests for armed escorts, especially from wealthy individuals and companies with top executives traveling.
Kucera said “hundreds of companies” had called to inquire about their bosses’ private security.
He explained: “Every time an incident happens in the US, it raises awareness and makes people look at their own protocols. It’s definitely a wake-up call.”
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After Thompson’s shooting, Kucera said his company received “a lot of calls [about] executives who were going to travel, they didn’t have any executive protection planned, we met them at locations and, you know, did what we do”.
Flintoff, a retired New York Police Department officer, said he received three calls Wednesday shortly after the attack.
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He said one came from someone leaving New York, adding, “They were in trouble and wanted someone to leave town tonight.
“It could be that they had actually been at the conference where he was going to speak, and immediately left, immediately changing their plans, and they wanted an armed driver to Newark Airport.
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“The others were, I assume, wealthy individuals looking for some sort of armed driver or security at their residence. We also had a small increase on our website, not huge, but there was certainly more traffic to the website today.”
He said most CEOs of large companies have security teams because it is usually a requirement in their company’s insurance policy.
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Thompson’s killer is still at large and is believed to have fled New York City.
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Paulette Thompson, the late CEO’s wife, revealed that her husband had received threats in the past, which she said were related to issues with “lack of medical coverage.”
Kucera added, “If there was a personal motive, then those in charge will say, ‘Okay, I don’t have that problem in my life. I don’t have to deal with that.’
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Married father-of-two Thompson was CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the largest private insurer in the US
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“If it’s related to a business event or a business decision or a customer or a customer, then that clearly applies to every executive here in the United States. Being a CEO is a big risk.
“Healthcare is an emotional issue… Someone who has been denied services, someone who has been denied services. You know, someone has died in the hospital, someone has been shot and had to go to a hospital, someone has been denied insurance coverage.”
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He also noted that as companies grow and their employees receive more media attention, the demand for private security increases.
The motive behind Thompson’s murder is still unknown, but experts believe the reason behind the killing could influence concerns among other executives.
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New photos show the suspected killer wearing a backpack with a black mask over his face.
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The NYPD believes the shooter escaped New York City and is still on the run. Authorities recently released a smiling photo of him and searched a Manhattan hostel where he is believed to have stayed.
Officials also confirmed that they have collected a DNA sample from a water bottle that may have been dropped by the unknown killer.