Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was tragically shot and killed early Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan.
Sources within the New York Police Department confirmed that the shooting occurred around 6:45 a.m. on 54th Street.
According to reports from prominent news outlets, the attack appeared to be a “deliberate and targeted assault” on Thompson. The assailant, using a silenced weapon, fled the scene shortly after the shooting. Authorities are treating the incident as an intentional attack.
The incident had happened just as UnitedHealthcare was preparing for its annual investor meeting in New York. The company notified attendees that the conference would be abruptly concluded following the tragedy.
Thompson, who became CEO of UnitedHealthcare in 2021, had previously overseen the company’s government programs division, including Medicare and retirement policies.
UnitedHealthcare, a major subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group Inc., ranks eighth on the 2024 Fortune Global 500 list. The health insurance giant is headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and employs more than 100,000 people worldwide.
The shooting has left the community in disbelief, as investigators work to understand the circumstances surrounding Thompson’s death.