Brian Thompson’s assassination in New York has sparked a surge in demand for security.
Dec. 6 2024, Printed 5:30 p.m. ET
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The UnitedHealthcare CEO was gunned down on the streets of Manhattan on Wednesday morning.
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Thompson was gunned down exterior a Hilton lodge in Midtown Manhattan whereas on the way in which to his firm’s annual investor convention on Wednesday morning.
The investigation for the killer continues to be ongoing – although a brand new DNA pattern taken from a water bottle presumably dropped by the suspect could possibly be a serious development.
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Safety corporations lately reported a major enhance in inquiries from corporations in search of to guard their executives after Thompson’s homicide.
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Within the aftermath of the homicide, each Pete Flintoff of Flint Safety Company and Glen Kucera of Allied Common famous a pointy rise in requests for armed escorts, notably from high-net-worth people and corporations with high executives touring.
Kucera stated “tons of of corporations” had referred to as to inquire about personal safety for his or her bosses.
He defined: “Each time there’s an incident within the US, it sort of raises consciousness and folks begin taking a look at their very own protocols. It is undoubtedly a get up name.”
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After Thompson’s capturing, Kucera stated his firm acquired “a variety of calls [about] executives that had been going to journey, they didn’t have any government safety deliberate, we met them at places and, you recognize, did what we do”.
Flintoff, a retired New York Police Division officer, stated he acquired three calls on Wednesday shortly after the assault.
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He stated one was from an individual leaving New York, including: “They had been in a little bit of a bind, they usually needed someone this night to get out of town.
“They could have really been on the convention that he was supposed to talk at, and had been leaving instantly, instantly altering their plans, they usually needed an armed driver to Newark Airport.
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“The opposite ones, I assume, had been excessive web price people that had been on the lookout for kind of both armed drivers or safety at their residency. We additionally, on our web site, we’ve had just a little uptick, not enormous, however there was undoubtedly extra visitors to the web site immediately.”
He stated most CEOs of main companies have safety groups as a result of it is sometimes a requirement of their firm’s insurance coverage coverage.
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Thompson’s killer continues to be at massive and is believed to have fled New York Metropolis.
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Paulette Thompson, the late CEO’s spouse, revealed her husband had acquired threats up to now, which she believed had been linked to points with “lack of medical protection”.
Kucera added: “If there was a private motive, then the executives will say: ‘Okay, I don’t have that concern in my life. I don’t should take care of that.’
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Married father-of-two Thompson was the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the most important personal insurer within the U.S.
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“If it’s tied to a enterprise occasion or a enterprise determination or a buyer or a consumer, then clearly that rings true to each government right here in the USA… being a CEO is excessive danger.
“Healthcare is an emotional concern… Anyone who’s denied service, someone was given service. You realize, someone handed away on the hospital, someone bought shot and needed to go to a hospital, someone was denied insurance coverage safety.”
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He additionally famous how when corporations develop and their workers achieve extra media consideration, the demand for personal safety will increase.
The motive behind Thompson’s homicide continues to be unknown, however specialists imagine the explanation behind the killing might affect the extent of concern amongst different executives.
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New pictures present the suspected killer sporting a backpack with a black masks over his face.
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The NYPD believes the gunman has escaped New York Metropolis and continues to be on the run. Lately, authorities launched a smiling photograph of him and searched a Manhattan hostel the place he’s thought to have stayed.
Officers have additionally confirmed they collected a DNA pattern from a water bottle which will have been dropped by the unidentified killer.