COMMISSIONER JESSICA TISCH | NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT 

“50-year-old Brian Thompson the CEO of United Healthcare was shot and killed in what appears at this early stage of our investigation to be a brazen targeted attack. This does not appear to be a random act of violence. The victim was in New York City to speak at an investor conference it appears a 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.” 

NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER JESSICA TISCH DESCRIBING THE FATAL SHOOTING OF UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO BRIAN THOMPSON AS HE WAS WALKED INTO A HILTON HOTEL IN NEW YORK CITY AT AROUND 6:40 A.M. YESTERDAY. 

THIS MORNING – THE MANHUNT FOR THE SHOOTER CONTINUES AS MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE CASE ARE RELEASED.  FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE MOURNING ONE OF THE TOP EXECUTIVES OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST HEALTH INSURER. 

THE DEADLY SHOOTING WAS CAPTURED ON SURVEILLANCE VIDEO – WITH POLICE RELEASING THESE IMAGES FROM THE SCENE. 

AUTHORITIES SAYING THE MASKED GUNMAN HAD ARRIVED AT THE HOTEL AROUND FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE SHOOTING. THEN WHEN HE SAW THOMPSON, HE WALKED UP, BEHIND THE CEO,  AND SHOT HIM IN THE  BACK AT POINT-BLANK RANGE. 

AT A PRESS CONFERENCE WEDNESDAY — NYPD CHIEF OF DETECTIVES JOSEPH KENNY DESCRIBED WHAT HAPPENED NEXT. 

CHIEF OF DETECTIVES JOSEPH KENNY | NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT 

“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. The shooter then then flees on foot northbound into an alleyway between 54th Street and 55th Street.” 

LATER IN THE DAY — POLICE RELEASED ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF THE SHOOTER. THEY SAY ONCE HE TOOK OFF FROM OUTSIDE THE HOTEL –HE GOT ON AN ELECTRIC BIKE AND WAS LAST SEEN RIDING INTO CENTRAL PARK IN MANHATTEN. 

POLICE SAY THEY RECOVERED A CELL PHONE IN THE ALLEYWAY AND ARE WORKING TO SEE IF IT IS LINKED TO THE SHOOTING. 

INVESTIGATORS ARE SPEAKING TO BRIAN THOMPSON’S CO-WORKERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS TO SEE IF HE RECEIVED ANY SPECIFIC THREATS LEADING UP TO THE SHOOTING. 

THOMPSON JOINED UNITEDHEALTHCARE IN 2004 AND WAS NAMED CEO IN 20-21. 

UNITEDHEALTHCARE’S PARENT COMPANY UNITEDHEALTH GROUP ISSUED A STATEMENT – CALLING A BRIAN A QUOTE “HIGHLY RESPECTED COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND…OUR HEARTS GO OUT TO BRIAN’S FAMILY AND ALL WHO WERE CLOSE TO HIM.” 

THOMPSON’S WIFE – PAULETTE— ALSO RELEASING A STATEMENT SAYING QUOTE 

“We are shattered to hear about the senseless killing of our beloved Brian. Brian was an incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives. 

Most importantly, Brian was an incredibly loving father to our two sons and will be greatly missed. We appreciate your well wishes and request complete privacy as our family moves through this difficult time.” 

AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES — POLICE ARE URGING ANYONE WITH INFORMATION TO GIVE THEM A CALL.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN CALIFORNIA — TWO KINDERGARTENERS ARE IN “EXTREMELY CRITICAL CONDITION” AFTER A SHOOTING AT A RELIGIOUS K-THROUGH-8 SCHOOL YESTERDAY. 

THE BUTTE  COUNTY, CALIFORNIA SHERIFF SAID THE SHOOTING HAPPENED AROUND 1 P-M AT FEATHER RIVER ADVENTIST SCHOOL NEAR PALERMO NORTH OF SACRAMENTO, JUST AFTER THE GUNMAN, WHO HAD BEEN DROPPED OFF BY AN UBER, MET WITH THE PRINCIPAL ABOUT ENROLLING A STUDENT.  INVESTIGATORS ARE LOOKING INTO WHETHER THAT MEETING WAS JUST A RUSE FOR THE MAN TO GET ON CAMPUS.  

WHEN DEPUTIES GOT TO THE SCENE, THEY FOUND THE SHOOTER DEAD, NEAR THE SCHOOL PLAYGROUND FROM AN APPARENT SELF-INFLICTED GUNSHOT WOUND. 

POLICE SAY THE GUNMAN HAD NO PRIOR CONNECTION TO THE SCHOOL OR THE 5-YEAR-OLD AND 6-YEAR-OLD BOYS THAT HE SHOT.    INVESTIGATORS BELIEVE HE MIGHT HAVE TARGETED THE SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST SCHOOL BECAUSE OF ITS CHURCH AFFILIATION. 

THE SHERIFF SPEAKING AT A PRESS BRIEFING LAST NIGHT.  

SHERIFF KORY HONEA | BUTTE COUNTY, CA 

“Whether or not this is a hate crime or whether or not it’s part of some sort of larger scheme at this point I don’t have enough information to provide an answer to that.” 

AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THEY HAVE FIGURED OUT WHO THE SHOOTER IS, BUT THEY’RE NOT RELEASING INFORMATION ABOUT HIS IDENTITY AS OF YET.

POLICE IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE “REGULARLY VIOLATE” BLACK PEOPLE’S RIGHTS — THAT’S ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. 

THE D-O-J RELEASED ITS FINDINGS WEDNESDAY FROM AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, FOLLOWING 

THE DEATH OF TYRE NICHOLS AFTER A TRAFFIC STOP IN 20-23. 

THE CIVIL RIGHTS INVESTIGATION — WHICH STARTED SIX MONTHS AFTER NICHOLS WAS KICKED, PUNCHED AND HIT WITH A POLICE BATON AS   FIVE OFFICERS TRIED TO ARREST HIM, ULTIMATELY LEADING TO HIS DEATH. 

THE FEDERAL INVESTIGATION CONCLUDED MEMPHIS POLICE USED EXCESSIVE FORCE, CONDUCTED ILLEGAL STOPS, SEARCHES AND ARRESTS AS WELL AS UNLAWFULLY DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BLACK PEOPLE. 

THE D-O-J SAID THE CITY OF MEMPHIS AND THE M-P-D COOPERATED FULLY WITH ITS INVESTIGATION — HOWEVER, THE CITY OF MEMPHIS SAID IN A LETTER WEDNESDAY IT WOULD REJECT A PRELIMINARY AGREEMENT ON A LEGALLY BINDING CONSENT DECREE FOR FEDERAL OVERSIGHT OF ITS POLICE DEPARTMENT. 

IN THE LETTER — THE CITY’S ATTORNEY SAID QUOTE “THE INVESTIGATION AND UNRELEASED FINDINGS ONLY TOOK 17 MONTHS TO COMPLETE, COMPARED TO AN AVERAGE OF 2 TO 3 YEARS IN ALMOST EVERY OTHER INSTANCE, IMPLYING A RUSH TO JUDGMENT…” AND THAT CITY OFFICIALS FIRST NEED THE CHANCE TO “REVIEW, ANALYZE , AND CHALLENGE THE ALLEGATIONS”.

NOW TO THE ONGOING WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST. 

AT LEAST 21 PEOPLE ARE DEAD AFTER AN ISRAELI STRIKE ON A TENT CAMP HOUSING DISPLACED PALESTINIANS IN GAZA WEDNESDAY — ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTOR OF A HOSPITAL IN THE NEARBY CITY KHAN YOUNIS. 

THE ISRAELI MILITARY CLAIMED IT STRUCK SENIOR HAMAS MILITANTS “INVOLVED IN TERRORIST ACTIVITIES” IN THE MUWASI AREA — AND TOOK PRECAUTIONS TO MINIMIZE HARM TO CIVILIANS.  

A SPOKESMAN FOR GAZA’S CIVIL DEFENSE AGENCY SAYS FIVE CHILDREN WERE KILLED IN THE STRIKE –WHICH THEY CLAIM WAS ONE OF SEVERAL DEADLY STRIKES ACROSS THE GAZA STRIP ON WEDNESDAY.

NOW TO THE WORLD OF CRYPTOCURRENCY – WHERE BITCOIN PRICES ARE BOOMING THIS MORNING. 

THE PRICE OF A SINGLE BITCOIN SURGING WEDNESDAY TO MORE THAN 100 THOUSAND DOLLARS – THE FIRST TIME THE 16-YEAR-OLD CYRTOCURRENCY HIT SIX FIGURES. 

BITCOIN’S MILESTONE CAME JUST HOURS AFTER PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP ANNOUNCED PAUL ATKINS AS HIS PICK TO BE THE NEXT CHAIRMAN OF THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

ATKINS WAS AN S-E-C COMMISSIONER DURING GEORGE W. BUSH’S PRESIDENCY AND IS KNOWN TO BE A STRONG SUPPORTER OF CRYPTOCURRENCIES. 

CURRENT SEC CHAIR GARY GENSLER HAS SAID HE WILL STEP DOWN FROM THE ROLE ON JANUARY 20TH – THE DAY OF DONALD TRUMP’S INAUGURATION.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – ONE RESTAURANT BRAND IS LOOKING TO MAKE A COMEBACK AS IT HOPES TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS IN SEARCH OF A TASTE OF NOSTALGIA. 

THE MEXICAN RESTAURANT CHAIN — CHI-CHI’S – IS PLANNING TO ONCE AGAIN OPEN ITS DOOR STARTING NEXT YEAR. 

MICHAEL MCDERMOTT – THE SON OF THE CHAIN’S CO-FOUNDER – STRIKING A DEAL WITH HORMEL FOODS – WHICH OWNS THE CHI-CHI’S TRADEMARK. 

CHI-CHI’S CLOSED IT LAST RESTAURANT IN 2004 FOLLOWING A “HEPATITIS A” OUTBREAK THAT WAS LINKED TO FOUR DEATHS AND SICKENED OVER 600 PEOPLE.   

MCDERMOTT SAYS THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING BACK THE BRAND IN A WAY THAT RESONATES WITH TODAY’S CONSUMERS – BUT SPECIFICS ON MENU ITEMS AND LOCATIONS HAVE NOT YET BEEN REVEALED.