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The chief executive officer of one of the United States’ largest health insurance providers was murdered in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday morning in what police have confirmed was a targeted ambush.
Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was attacked at approximately 6:46 a.m. EST outside the Hilton hotel in New York City – sustaining multiple gunshot wounds including at least one wound to the chest and another to the leg. Thompson was rushed to nearby Mt. Sinai West hospital (a.k.a. Roosevelt Hospital), where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m. EST.
News of the attack was first reported by The New York Post.
After firing multiple rounds at Thompson using a firearm equipped with a silencer, the yet-to-be-identified assailant – who remains at large – fled the scene of the shooting on foot via a nearby alley. Shortly thereafter, he reportedly hopped onto one of the city’s electric bikes and was last seen at 6:48 a.m. EST riding the bike into Central Park approximately 1,500 feet from where the shooting took place.
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Thompson was in New York for UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference, which was scheduled to begin at 8:00 a.m. EST. Shortly after 9:00 a.m. EST, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s parent company – UnitedHealth Group – appeared onstage at the event and announced that the company was “dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members.” The gathering was subsequently canceled.
Witnesses told the Post the suspect – who was reportedly observed “milling around” the hotel prior to the attack – was a white male wearing a dark “cream-colored jacket, a black face mask and black and white sneakers” with a “grey backpack.”
As of 12:00 p.m. EST, no arrests had been announced by the New York Police Department (NYPD), the lead agency investigating the murder, although the agency’s newly installed commissioner said the force “will not rest until we identify and apprehend the shooter.”
At a press conference held shortly before noon, NYPD officials released two photos of the individual they believe carried out the murder – and offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
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Shortly thereafter, the agency released additional photos taken from a nearby Starbucks showing a better view of the suspect’s face…
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“If anyone has information as to the identity or location of this individual please contact NYPDTips at 1-800-577-TIPS,” police noted in post on X.
NYPD police commissioner Jessica Tisch said the suspect was “lying in wait for several minutes” outside the hotel prior to firing upon Thompson. As Thompson made his way toward the entrance to the hotel, “the suspect approached from behind and fired several rounds striking the victim at least once in the back and at least once in the right calf.”
“Many people passed the suspect but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch added.
NYPD chief of detectives Joseph Kenny said the shooter “arrived at the location on foot about five minutes before the victim” and stood “alongside the building line as numerous other people and pedestrians pass him by.”
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Watch as @NYPDPC and NYPD executives brief the media on an ongoing investigation in Manhattan. https://t.co/r5oX5kE6cI
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 4, 2024
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At 6:44 a.m. EST, Thompson was observed on a video camera “walking alone towards the Hilton” to attend the investor conference. According to Kenny, the shooter “steps onto the sidewalk… approaches the victim from behind and shoots him in the back.”
“The shooter then walks toward the victim and continues to shoot,” Kenny added. “It appears that the gun malfunctions as he clears the jam and begins to fire again.”
Kenny told reporters three spent nine millimeter shells and three live nine millimeter rounds were found at the scene. A cell phone believed to be connected to the crime was also found along the shooter’s escape route.
“The motive for this murder currently is unknown,” Kenny added. “Based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear the victim was specifically targeted – but at this point we do not know why.”
Based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, UnitedHealth Group ranked No. 8 on the latest Fortune Global 500 rankings and, as of this week, had a market capitalization of $562.9 billion. Thompson – who had worked with the company for twenty years – had led its insurance corporation since 2021 following a stint at the helm of its Medicare/Medicaid division. He was married with two children.
Thompson’s widow, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News her husband had been receiving threats.
“There had been some threats,” she told the network.
Thompson was one of several UnitedHealth executives who cashed out on company stock earlier this year amid an ongoing U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation into alleged anti-trust violations involving the company’s various acquisitions.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR …
Will Folks is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.
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1 comment
The insurance industry (life, health, auto, home, all of it) is one of the most scurvy and evil industries to be found. People pay good money to be covered, and when they seek the benefits they have paid dearly for, often for many years, the companies find every way to deny or minimize benefits while CEO’s and other top staff make millions per year in salary and bonuses. Sorry, but I find that I am experiencing an extreme shortage of sympathy for the so-called “victim” in this case.