A manhunt is underway after the killing of a health insurance executive.

That's where we're starting The Seven from the Washington Post.

I'm Hannah Jewell. It's Thursday, December 5th.

Let's get you caught up with today's seven stories.

The CEO of United Healthcare, Brian Thompson, was shot and killed early yesterday morning outside of a Midtown Manhattan hotel.

Police said this was not a random act of violence. They called it a brazen, targeted attack. NYPD chief of detectives, Joseph Kenny, described how it happened. What we know is that the shooter arrived at the location

on foot about five minutes prior to the victim's arrival. He stands alongside the building line

as numerous other people and pedestrians pass him by. The shooter steps onto the

sidewalk from behind the car. He ignores numerous other pedestrians, approaches the victim from behind,

and shoots him in the back. The shooter then walks toward the victim and continues to shoot.

Police said the suspect fled the scene on foot and then on a bike. He was last seen in Central

Park and is still at large. Thompson was 50 years old. He had been the CEO of the nation's

largest health insurance company since 2021. Number two, Pete Heggseth's confirmation as defense secretary is hanging in the balance.

Hegsteth is a veteran and a Fox News television host. He's also president-elect Donald Trump's

pick to lead the Pentagon. But there are growing doubts about his ability

to get confirmed in the Senate. Hexeth spent yesterday meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill

in an effort to shore up support, and he was defiant when asked about his prospects for confirmation.

He told reporters he had spoken to Trump in the morning and that Trump told him,

I'm behind you all the way. But Trump is privately considering replacing him with Florida governor

Ron DeSantis or Florida representative Michael Waltz. One issue standing in Heggseth's way is his

history with alcohol.

He says he turned to heavy drinking after his deployment to Iraq ended in 2006.

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