Early Wednesday morning, an unidentified gunman shot and killed the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday.
Business and government leaders around the U.S. are reacting to the troubling news, leading many to ask themselves, what is happening to New York?
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Minnesota Governor Tim Walz reacted to the CEO's untimely death on social media, sharing that the state is "sending our prayers" to Thompson's family.
According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the late CEO lived in Maple Grove, Minnesota – a suburb of Minneapolis. This truth seemingly impacted the state's governor, who took to "X" to express his support of the "horrifying news."
Additionally, UnitedHealthcare headquarters are located in Minnetonka, Minnesota, prompting the governor to extend support to the company's team.
Investigators have ruled the situation a "premeditated, pre-planned attack."
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the suspect was "lying in wait for several minutes" before shooting Thompson "at least once in the back and at least once in the right calf."
Another Minnesota lawmaker weighed in, with Sen. Amy Klobuchar writing on social media that Thompson's death was a "horrifying and shocking act of violence."
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The Democratic senator expressed her condolences to Thompson's "family and loved ones" in her post on "X."
As crime seems to be taking hold of New York City, Mayor Eric Adams reacted to the CEO's alleged murder, assuring New Yorkers that "this was not, what appears to be, a random act of violence."
The mayor's press secretary Kayla Mamelak Altus took to "X" to share Adams' sentiment, doubling down on the claim that city residents and "business executives" should remain "calm."
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Rep. Dean Phillips joined his colleagues in expressing his sorrow for the sudden passing of Brian Thompson. On "X," the Democratic representative said that he was "horrified" by the assassination of his constituent, and that the late CEO's family is in his prayers.
In his next post to "X," the Minnesota representative's tone seemingly shifted, writing a fiery message just less than a half of an hour later from his initial reaction.
"Seems like leftists opposed to killing terrorists in the Middle East support killing CEOs in Midtown Manhattan. Sick," the Minnesota representative wrote on "X."
In her recent "X" post, author Ann Coulter joined Rep. Phillips in his red-hot commentary. Coulter argued that, in New York City, "murder is legal" against everyone except "dangerous psychos" on the subway.
Coulter reacted to the claim that the UnitedHealthcare CEO was allegedly on his way to an investor conference when he was shot and killed. The investor conference was the reason for Thompson's stay at the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
She quipped online that "People angry at their insurers are lucky that so many investor meetings are in NYC."
