New York City police Commissioner Jessica Tisch says the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Wednesday morning outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel was a “brazen, targeted attack.”New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams eched that. Hochul called it a “horrific and targeted shooting.” Adams said: “This was not what appears to be a just random act of violence. It seems to be clearly targeted by an individual, and we will apprehend that individual."Tisch said it appears that a masked gunman was waiting around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday for Thompson outside the New York Hilton Midtown hotel, where Thompson was set to speak at an investors conference. The shooter stepped behind Thompson and opened fire, striking him in the back and a leg. The gunman took off first on foot and then on a bicycle, according to the police.Thompson, 50, head of one of the largest insurance providers in the nation, was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.The hotel on 54th Street between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue is in a bustling part of Manhattan that's a short walk from tourist attractions including the Museum of Modern Art and Rockefeller Center and often illed weekday mornings with office workers and tourists. The popular Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting is set to take place Wednesday evening.Part of the block where the shooting took place was cordoned off with police tape, with a large contingent of police officers on hand. Many security cameras are nearby.Police were searching for the masked suspect. A police poster offering a reward for information about the shooting shows surveillance stills of a man wearing a gray-colored jacket and a black sweater on a bicycle, and another photo shows him appearing to be pointing a gun.UnitedHealthcare, the insurance arm of the health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc, was scheduled to have its annual meeting with investors and market analysts Wednesday at the hotel, according to a company advisory. The company ended the gathering early as news of the shooting broke.UnitedHealth Group is among the nation's largest health care companies and provides health insurance, pharmacy benefits and health care services. Its health insurance unit, UnitedHealthcare, provided coverage for more than 27 million U.S. residents as of Dec. 31, 2023. UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the country and also manages health insurance coverage for employers and state-and federally funded Medicaid programs.Thompson has been CEO for more than three years and had been with the company since 2004."Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him," UnitedHealth Group executives said in a written statement. "Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.” A New York police officer walks outside the hotel in Midtown Manhattan where Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealtchare, was reported to have been killed Wednesday morning.A New York police officer walks outside the hotel in Midtown Manhattan where Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealtchare, was reported to have been killed Wednesday morning. Medical responders rushed the man to Mount Sinai West, where he was pronounced dead.No one has been taken into custody in connection with the shooting, according to the NYPD.UnitedHealth Group is among the nation's largest health insurance companies, providing coverage for more than 27 million U.S. residents as of last Dec. 31. The company covers another 7.8 million people globally with medical and dental benefits, mostly in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru.Contributing: USA Today.