Connect with us

Published

on

Police in New York are hunting a gunman who shot dead a healthcare executive outside a hotel in what was a “brazen targeted attack”.

Brian Thompson, who had been the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare since April 2021, was killed outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan.

The gunman, who was wearing a face mask, was lying in wait for about five minutes before he approached the 50-year-old victim from behind.

Mr Thompson had been in his role for three years. Pic: UnitedHealthcare/AP
Image:
Mr Thompson had been in his role for three years. Pic: UnitedHealthcare/AP

He opened fire several times, shooting him in the back and leg. He then walks towards Mr Thompson and continues to shoot.

Police said the weapon jammed during the attack, which happened at around 6.45am local time on Wednesday. But the shooter cleared the jam and started firing again.

The suspect then fled on foot before getting on a GPS-tracked e-bike and was last seen in Central Park.

Mr Thompson, who lived in Minnesota, was taken to a nearby hospital but could not be saved.

Police are still searching for the suspect and are offering a $10,000 (£7,866) reward for information. Officers also said they did not yet have a motive for the shooting.

Photos taken from CCTV footage shows a man wearing a grey backpack riding a bicycle, and another photo of the individual appearing to be pointing a gun.

An image of the individual sought in connection to the investigation of the shooting death of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth.
Pic: NYPD/Reuters
Image:
An image of the individual sought in connection to the investigation of the shooting of Brian Thompson. Pic: NYPD/Reuters

An image of the individual sought in connection to the investigation of the shooting death of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth.
Pic: NYPD/Reuters
Image:
Pic: NYPD/Reuters

The suspect was described as a light-skinned male, wearing a light brown or cream coloured jacket, a black face mask, black and white trainers and distinctive grey rucksack.

Police said there was another person standing next to Mr Thompson when he was attacked outside the hotel, and are in the process of identifying them.

New York City’s police commissioner Jessica Tisch said the shooting was a “brazen, targeted attack”.

“This does not appear to be a random act of violence. Every indication is that this was a premeditated, pre-planned, targeted attack,” she said.

Who was Brian Thompson?


James Sillars, business reporter

James Sillars

Business and economics reporter

@SkyNewsBiz

Brian Thompson was the boss of UnitedHealth’s insurance division.

He had been at the company, in various roles, for 20 years and had served in his current job since 2021.

Mr Thompson worked under group chief executive Sir Andrew Witty, the experienced British executive best known in the UK for his tenure in charge at pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline in the early 2000s.

UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare health insurance plans in the United States – policies that holders generally find cause to complain about industry-wide.

Medicare plans cover people aged 65 or older and younger people with disabilities.

America’s healthcare insurance costs rank as the most expensive in the world.

The firm also manages health insurance for companies.

Mr Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, said that he had been receiving threats.

“There had been some threats,” she said in a phone call to Sky’s US partner network, NBC News. “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.”

“I can’t really give a thoughtful response right now. I just found this out and I’m trying to console my children,” she added.

Police officers stand near the scene where the CEO of United Healthcare Brian Thompson was reportedly shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Pic: Reuters

Police officers stand near the scene where the CEO of United Healthcare Brian Thompson was reportedly shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Police officers stand near the scene where the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson was shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan. Pic: Reuters

The attack happened as the company was scheduled to have its annual meeting with investors on Wednesday morning in the Hilton. Mr Thompson had arrived in New York on Monday to attend the meeting and was staying in a hotel opposite the Hilton.

It is understood Mr Thompson was in charge of organising the conference and was due to speak at the meeting.

Bullets lie on the sidewalk at the scene outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan where Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot.
Pic: AP
Image:
Bullets lie on the footpath of the scene outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan. Pic: AP

A member of the NYPD Crime Scene Unit takes a picture of a shell casing found at the scene where the CEO of UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson was  shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan
Image:
A member of the NYPD Crime Scene Unit takes a picture of a shell casing found at the scene. Pic: Reuters

“We’re dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members, and as a result, I’m afraid we’re going to have to bring to a close the event today,” UnitedHealth’s chief executive Sir Andrew Witty said.

The suspect was described as using a firearm with a silencer, CNBC reported, citing a person familiar with the incident.

UnitedHealthcare is the insurance arm of the healthcare giant UnitedHealth Group.

The scene after Brian Thompson was fatally shot in New York. Pic: AP
Image:
The scene after Brian Thompson was fatally shot in New York. Pic: AP

Police officers work near the scene where the CEO of United Healthcare Brian Thompson was reportedly shot and killed.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Pic: Reuters

Members of the NYPD Crime Scene Unit work near evidence markers placed where shell casings were found at the scene.
Pic Reuters
Image:
Members of the NYPD Crime Scene Unit work near evidence markers placed where shell casings were found. Pic Reuters

In a statement, it said: “Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him. We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.

“Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.”

There have been no arrests, and the investigation is active and ongoing.

The scene of the shooting is a short walk from tourist sites such as the Museum of Modern Art and Rockefeller Centre. The popular Rockefeller Centre Christmas tree lighting is set to take place Wednesday evening.

Continue Reading

World

Court confirms sacking of South Korean president who declared martial law

Published

on

By

Court confirms sacking of South Korean president who declared martial law

South Korea’s constitutional court has confirmed the dismissal of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached in December after declaring martial law.

His decision to send troops onto the streets led to the country’s worst political crisis in decades.

The court ruled to uphold the impeachment saying the conservative leader “violated his duty as commander-in-chief by mobilising troops” when he declared martial law.

The president was also said to have taken actions “beyond the powers provided in the constitution”.

Demonstrators who stayed overnight near the constitutional court wait for the start of a rally calling for the president to step down. Pic: AP
Image:
Demonstrators stayed overnight near the constitutional court. Pic: AP

Supporters and opponents of the president gathered in their thousands in central Seoul as they awaited the ruling.

The 64-year-old shocked MPs, the public and international allies in early December when he declared martial law, meaning all existing laws regarding civilians were suspended in place of military law.

Read more from Sky News:
Highs and lows of Five-Year Keir
MP tells Sky News she was targeted online by Tate brothers

More on South Korea

The Constitutional Court is under heavy police security guard ahead of the announcement of the impeachment trial. Pic: AP
Image:
The court was under heavy police security guard ahead of the announcement. Pic: AP

After suddenly declaring martial law, Mr Yoon sent hundreds of soldiers and police officers to the National Assembly.

He has argued that he sought to maintain order, but some senior military and police officers sent there have told hearings and investigators that Mr Yoon ordered them to drag out politicians to prevent an assembly vote on his decree.

His presidential powers were suspended when the opposition-dominated assembly voted to impeach him on 14 December, accusing him of rebellion.

The unanimous verdict to uphold parliament’s impeachment and remove Mr Yoon from office required the support of at least six of the court’s eight justices.

South Korea must hold a national election within two months to find a new leader.

Lee Jae-myung, leader of the main liberal opposition Democratic Party, is the early favourite to become the country’s next president, according to surveys.

Continue Reading

World

Stock markets suffer sharp drops after Donald Trump announces sweeping tariffs

Published

on

By

Stock markets suffer sharp drops after Donald Trump announces sweeping tariffs

Stock markets around the world fell on Thursday after Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs – with some economists now fearing a recession.

The US president announced tariffs for almost every country – including 10% rates on imports from the UK – on Wednesday evening, sending financial markets reeling.

While the UK’s FTSE 100 closed down 1.55% and the continent’s STOXX Europe 600 index was down 2.67% as of 5.30pm, it was American traders who were hit the most.

Trump tariffs latest: US stock markets tumble

All three of the US’s major markets opened to sharp losses on Thursday morning.

A person works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Monday, March 31, 2025. Pic: AP
Image:
The S&P 500 is set for its worst day of trading since the COVID-19 pandemic. File pic: AP

By 8.30pm UK time (3.30pm EST), The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 3.7%, the S&P 500 opened with a drop of 4.4%, and the Nasdaq composite was down 5.6%.

Compared to their values when Donald Trump was inaugurated, the three markets were down around 5.6%, 8.7% and 14.4%, respectively, according to LSEG.

More on Donald Trump

Worst one-day losses since COVID

As Wall Street trading ended at 9pm in the UK, two indexes had suffered their worst one-day losses since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The S&P 500 fell 4.85%, the Nasdaq dropped 6%, and the Dow Jones fell 4%.

It marks Nasdaq’s biggest daily percentage drop since March 2020 at the start of COVID, and the largest drop for the Dow Jones since June 2020.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

The latest numbers on tariffs

‘Trust in President Trump’

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told CNN earlier in the day that Mr Trump was “doubling down on his proven economic formula from his first term”.

“To anyone on Wall Street this morning, I would say trust in President Trump,” she told the broadcaster, adding: “This is indeed a national emergency… and it’s about time we have a president who actually does something about it.”

Later, the US president told reporters as he left the White House that “I think it’s going very well,” adding: “The markets are going to boom, the stock is going to boom, the country is going to boom.”

He later said on Air Force One that the UK is “happy” with its tariff – the lowest possible levy of 10% – and added he would be open to negotiations if other countries “offer something phenomenal”.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

How is the world reacting to Trump’s tariffs?

Economist warns of ‘spiral of doom’

The turbulence in the markets from Mr Trump’s tariffs “just left everybody in shock”, Garrett Melson, portfolio strategist at Natixis Investment Managers Solutions in Boston, told Reuters.

He added that the economy could go into recession as a result, saying that “a lot of the pain, will probably most acutely be felt in the US and that certainly would weigh on broader global growth as well”.

Meanwhile, chief investment officer at St James’s Place Justin Onuekwusi said that international retaliation is likely, even as “it’s clear countries will think about how to retaliate in a politically astute way”.

He warned: “Significant retaliation could lead to a tariff ‘spiral of doom’ that could be the growth shock that drags us into recession.”

Read more:
Do Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariff numbers add up?

Tariffs about something more than economics: power

It comes as the UK government published a long list of US products that could be subject to reciprocal tariffs – including golf clubs and golf balls.

Running to more than 400 pages, the list is part of a four-week-long consultation with British businesses and suggests whiskey, jeans, livestock, and chemical components.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Thursday that the US president had launched a “new era” for global trade and that the UK will respond with “cool and calm heads”.

It also comes as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a 25% tariff on all American-imported vehicles that are not compliant with the US-Mexico-Canada trade deal.

He added: “The 80-year period when the United States embraced the mantle of global economic leadership, when it forged alliances rooted in trust and mutual respect and championed the free and open exchange of goods and services, is over. This is a tragedy.”

Continue Reading

World

Donald Trump announces sweeping global trade tariffs – including 10% on UK imports

Published

on

By

Donald Trump announces sweeping global trade tariffs - including 10% on UK imports

Donald Trump has announced a 10% trade tariff on all imports from the UK – as he unleashed sweeping tariffs across the globe.

Speaking at a White House event entitled “Make America Wealthy Again”, the president held up a chart detailing the worst offenders – which also showed the new tariffs the US would be imposing.

“This is Liberation Day,” he told a cheering audience of supporters, while hitting out at foreign “cheaters”.

Follow live: Trump tariffs latest

He claimed “trillions” of dollars from the “reciprocal” levies he was imposing on others’ trade barriers would provide relief for the US taxpayer and restore US jobs and factories.

Mr Trump said the US has been “looted, pillaged, raped, plundered” by other nations.

President Donald Trump holds a signed executive order during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden of the White House, Wednesday, April 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Image:
Pic: AP

His first tariff announcement was a 25% duty on all car imports from midnight – 5am on Thursday, UK time.

Mr Trump confirmed the European Union would face a 20% reciprocal tariff on all other imports. China’s rate was set at 34%.

The UK’s rate of 10% was perhaps a shot across the bows over the country’s 20% VAT rate, though the president’s board suggested a 10% tariff imbalance between the two nations.

It was also confirmed that further US tariffs were planned on some individual sectors including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and critical mineral imports.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Trump’s tariffs explained

The ramping up of duties promises to be painful for the global economy. Tariffs on steel and aluminium are already in effect.

The UK government signalled there would be no immediate retaliation.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “We will always act in the best interests of UK businesses and consumers. That’s why, throughout the last few weeks, the government has been fully focused on negotiating an economic deal with the United States that strengthens our existing fair and balanced trading relationship.

“The US is our closest ally, so our approach is to remain calm and committed to doing this deal, which we hope will mitigate the impact of what has been announced today.

“We have a range of tools at our disposal and we will not hesitate to act. We will continue to engage with UK businesses including on their assessment of the impact of any further steps we take.

“Nobody wants a trade war and our intention remains to secure a deal. But nothing is off the table and the government will do everything necessary to defend the UK’s national interest.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Who showed up for Trump’s tariff address?

The EU has pledged to retaliate, which is a problem for Northern Ireland.

Should that scenario play out, the region faces the prospect of rising prices because all its imports are tied to EU rules under post-Brexit trading arrangements.

It means US goods shipped to Northern Ireland would be subject to the EU’s reprisals.

The impact of a trade war would be expected to be widely negative, with tit-for-tat tariffs risking job losses, a ramping up of prices and cooling of global trade.

Research for the Institute for Public Policy Research has suggested more than 25,000 direct jobs in the UK car manufacturing industry alone could be at risk from the tariffs on car exports to the US.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) had said the tariff costs could not be absorbed by manufacturers and may lead to a review of output.

The tariffs now on UK exports pose a big risk to growth and the so-called headroom Chancellor Rachel Reeves was forced to restore to the public finances at the spring statement, risking further spending cuts or tax rises ahead to meet her fiscal rules.

Read more:
What do Trump’s tariffs mean for the UK?
The rewards and risks for US as trade war intensifies

A member of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), David Miles, told MPs on Tuesday that US tariffs at 20% or 25% maintained on the UK for five years would “knock out all the headroom the government currently has”.

But he added that a “very limited tariff war” that the UK stays out of could be “mildly positive”.

He said: “There’s a bit of trade that will get diverted to the UK, and some of the exports from China, for example, that would have gone to the US, they’ll be looking for a home for them in the rest of the world.

“And stuff would be available in the UK a bit cheaper than otherwise would have been. So there is one, not central scenario at all, which is very, very mildly potentially positive to the UK. All the other ones which involve the UK facing tariffs are negative, and they’re negative to very different extents.”

Continue Reading

Trending