In a tragic incident on Wednesday morning, Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot in New York City, according to police reports. Commissioner Jessica Tisch of the New York Police Department characterized the shooting as a “brazen, targeted attack.” During a briefing, Tisch stated, “This does not appear to be a random act of violence. Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target.”
The suspect was reportedly “lying in wait for several minutes” before spotting Thompson as he walked towards the hotel hosting the UnitedHealth Group investor conference. According to Tisch, the shooter approached Thompson from behind and fired multiple shots, hitting him at least once in the back and once in the right calf.
Electric CitiBike escape adds intrigue to the targeted Manhattan shooting
Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny from the NYPD revealed that the shooter arrived on foot approximately five minutes before Thompson did. The individual is described as a light-skinned male dressed in a light brown or cream-colored jacket, a black face mask, black and white sneakers, and carrying a “very distinctive” gray backpack.
Kenny mentioned, “The motive for this murder currently is unknown, but based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear that the victim was specifically targeted, but at this point, we do not know why.” After the shooting, the suspect fled on foot before switching to an electric CitiBike, which he rode into Central Park. The police have not yet apprehended the suspect and are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
Thompson had been with UnitedHealth since 2004 and had been leading UnitedHealthcare, the company’s insurance division, since 2021. He also held the position of chief financial officer for UnitedHealthcare’s commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid programs. The parent company, UnitedHealth Group, released a statement confirming Thompson’s death.
“We are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare,” the company expressed. “Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him.
We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.”
In light of the shooting, UnitedHealth Group canceled the remainder of its investor day conference. During the event, CEO Andrew Witty did not provide specific details but interrupted a presentation to address a “medical situation” involving an employee.
“I’m afraid that, as some of you may know, we’re dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members. And as a result, I’m afraid we’re going to have to bring to a close the event today, which I apologize for.
I’m sure you’ll understand,” Witty stated, according to a transcript of the event. “And we’ll share with you an alternate mechanism to update you all with the information we’re going to share with the rest of the day. I apologize for bringing things to a close, but I hope you’ll understand.”
