Wife of slain UnitedHealthcare CEO says he had been receiving 'threats'

The wife of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — who was fatally shot outside a Manhattan hotel Wednesday morning in a "brazen" and "premeditated, preplanned targeted attack," according to police — said he had been receiving "threats."

Paulette Thompson told NBC News in a phone call that "there had been some threats. 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."

'The shooter then walks toward the victim and continues to shoot. It appears that the gun malfunctions as he clears the jam and begins to fire again.'

She added to NBC News that police told her it appeared that the shooting was "a planned attack."

The New York Post, which cited NBC News, reported that Paulette Thompson also said, “I can’t really give a thoughtful response right now. I just found this out, and I’m trying to console my children."

What else do we know?

New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference that Thompson was struck at least once in the back and at least once in the right calf and that that the suspect was "lying in wait for several minutes," NBC News reported.

"Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target," Tisch added, according the news network.

Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said the suspect arrived at the scene about five minutes before the shooting and fired a shot at Thompson’s back, NBC News noted.

"The shooter then walks toward the victim and continues to shoot. It appears that the gun malfunctions as he clears the jam and begins to fire again," Kenny added, according to the news network.

Three live 9mm rounds and three discharged 9mm shell casings were found at the scene, NBC News said, adding the police recovered a cell phone near the scene.

"The motive for this murder is currently unknown, but based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear the victim was specifically targeted," Kenny added to reporters, the news network said. "But at this point, we do not know why."

Kenny also said Thompson appeared unaware that he was in any danger and had no security detail around him, according to the New York Times, which also reported that a law enforcement official said surveillance video captured the shooting and that it shows the gunman alone when he fired at Thompson.

The suspect was described as a white male wearing a black hoodie, black pants, black sneakers with a white trim, and a gray backpack who was using a gun with a silencer, an individual familiar with the matter told CNBC.

Tisch said the shooter fled the scene on foot and then on a New York Citi Bike and was last seen in Central Park, NBC News reported. Police said no arrests have been made, the news network noted, adding that Crime Stoppers was offering a $10,000 reward for information.

You can view WNYW's video report here about the fatal shooting, which includes surveillance images of the suspected gunman and the update from police.

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