Watch: New Yorkers Host ‘United Healthcare CEO Shooter Lookalike Competition’ – News18

Last Updated:December 09, 2024, 2:13 PM IST

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in broad daylight by a hooded and masked gunman outside the Hilton Hotel in New York.

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed outside the luxury Hilton Hotel in New York on Thursday morning, December 5. The attack occurred in broad daylight as Thompson was reportedly heading to an investor event on foot without security. A hooded and masked gunman approached him, fired multiple shots and then fled the scene on a bike. The entire murder was caught on CCTV with the police later releasing footage showing the shooter flashing a smile as he escaped. As the investigation continued, a disturbing reaction emerged from the public in New York. According to the New York Post, a “shooter look-alike” contest was held in Washington Square Park which drew a lot of attention and criticism.

As per the report, eight contestants, dressed in hooded outerwear and face masks, were surrounded by spectators who cheered as they voted for the most convincing impersonator of the killer. The winner of the contest wore a green jacket and his face covered which closely resembled the assassin’s attire. He won $50 (approximately Rs 4,235).

“I got no looks until I got over here and now everyone wants a picture with me,” he told The Post. He added that he didn’t even need to make special preparations for the contest, saying, “I wear this everywhere.”

Further, the winner also shared his frustrations with health insurance companies, though he wasn’t a UnitedHealthcare customer “People do not feel great about the current state of things in our world,” he told the outlet.

The contest took a darker turn when one participant, holding a bubble gun, wore a sign that read “Deny Defend Depose.” Reportedly, this is the same phrase that the shooter had written on shell casings at the scene.

The crowd’s reaction reacted with criticism as the contestants stood together at the insensitive event. A person called out, “Bro I don’t know if you all should be doing this – but your life choices I guess.”

Meanwhile, the search for the shooter continued as authorities confirmed they had identified the killer. “The net is tightening,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.

According to the Post, after fleeing the scene, the assassin sped through Central Park on a bike before leaving the city on a bus. The police released photos of the shooter, showing him with his mask pulled down as he flirted with a woman while standing at the desk of a youth hostel on the Upper West Side where he is believed to have stayed after arriving in the city.