UnitedHealthcare (UHC) health insurance signage is posted on an office building in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 19, 2023.
Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images
Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth GroupThe New York Police Department's Insurance Division was fatally shot Wednesday morning outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan in what appeared to be a “brazen, targeted attack,” the New York Police Department said.
“I want to make it clear at this time that everything indicates that this was a premeditated, planned and targeted attack,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during a news conference Wednesday after the shooting.
“This does not appear to be a random act of violence,” she said.
Thompson, 50, ran UnitedHealthcare, the largest private health insurer in the United States. He was on his way to UnitedHealth Group's investor day, scheduled for 8 a.m. ET Wednesday at the Hilton, the NYPD said. The company canceled the event after the shooting.
Patrol officers responded at 6:46 a.m. ET to a 911 call about a person shot outside the Hilton Hotel at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, NYPD Chief Joseph Kenny said during the news conference. When officers arrived at 6:48 a.m. ET, they found Thompson on the sidewalk with gunshot wounds to his back and leg, he added.
According to Kenny, emergency responders took Thompson to Roosevelt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m. ET.
The suspect arrived at the scene on foot about five minutes before Thompson arrived at the Hilton, and several people walked past him while he waited for Thompson to arrive, Kenny said. As Thompson walked alone toward the Hilton, the suspect stepped onto the sidewalk behind a car and approached Thompson from behind, firing several shots, hitting him at least once in the back and at least once in the right calf, Kenny added.
After the shooting, according to Tisch, the suspect first fled on foot and then on an e-bike. She said the suspect was last seen this morning in Central Park on Center Drive. Kenny said the suspect was wearing a tan or cream jacket, a black face mask, black and white sneakers and a “very distinctive” gray backpack.
There were no arrests. The NYPD has increased the reward in the case to $10,000, Tisch noted.
The suspect was described as using a firearm with a silencer in the shooting, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.
A hot dog vendor near the Hilton who was present at 6:30 a.m. ET said he didn't hear any shots but noticed a sudden swarm of police. A Hilton doorman who started his shift at 7 a.m. ET said everything seemed “pretty normal” at the hotel. Both people asked not to be named.
Police officers stand near the site where United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was reportedly shot dead in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, USA, on December 4, 2024.
Shannon Stapleton | Reuters
Thompson is survived by his wife, Paulette Thompson, and their two children.
Thompson's wife told NBC News that he had received threats. She said the NYPD told her it was a planned attack.
“Yes, there were some threats, basically I don’t know, lack of reporting? I don’t know any details,” she told NBC News. “All I know is that he said there were some people who threatened him.”
She told NBC News that despite the threats, Thompson hasn't changed any of his travel habits.
“I can't really give a thoughtful answer right now,” Paulette Thompson told NBC News. “I just found this out and I’m trying to comfort my kids.”
The UnitedHealth Group is the largest healthcare group in the United States in terms of sales and a market capitalization of around $563 billion. UnitedHealthcare generated more than $281 billion in revenue last year, accounting for more than two-thirds of UnitedHealth Group's 2023 annual revenue.
Shares of UnitedHealth Group rose more than 1% on Wednesday.
In a statement Wednesday, UnitedHealth Group said it was “deeply saddened and shocked by the death” of Thompson. The company described him as a “highly valued colleague and friend to all who have worked with him.”
“We are working closely with the NYPD and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time,” UnitedHealth Group said. “Our thoughts are with Brian’s family and everyone who was close to him.”
The company canceled its investor event early Wednesday when it discovered an employee had a “medical situation.”
“I am concerned that we are — some of you may know that we are dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members,” Chief Executive Andrew Witty said during the investor day, according to a transcript. “For this reason, I am afraid that we will have to end the event today, as I am sure you will understand.”
Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare
Courtesy: UnitedHealth Group
According to his LinkedIn page, Thompson worked for United Health for just over 20 years, joining the company in April 2004 after spending nearly seven years at PwC. He joined UnitedHealthcare as CEO in April 2021 after serving as a top executive for the insurance unit's government programs.
Thompson lived in Maple Grove, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis, and graduated at the top of his class from the University of Iowa.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement Wednesday that she had been informed of the shooting and had directed state police to provide the NYPD with any necessary assistance in the investigation.
“Our thoughts are with Mr. Thompson’s family and loved ones and we are committed to ensuring that the perpetrator is brought to justice,” she said.
Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota called the killing “terrible news and a terrible loss for the economy and health care” in a post on X Wednesday.
UnitedHealth Group is still dealing with the fallout from a February ransomware attack on its medical claims processing company Change Healthcare. The attack compromised the protected health information of at least 100 million people
This is breaking news. Please refresh for updates.
—Ester Bloom of CNBC and David K. Li of NBC News contributed to this report
Comments are closed.