Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot while leaving his hotel in midtown Manhattan early Wednesday morning. He was on his way to a company conference. Responders rushed Thompson to Mount Sinai West Hospital in critical condition. He was later pronounced dead. The gunman is still at large, and New York City Crime Stoppers has issued a reward of up to $10,000 for any information leading to an arrest.
The gunman was reportedly “laying in wait” outside the hotel in a deliberate attack. Though NYPD is unsure just how long he was waiting, reports indicate the assailant was positioned outside the hotel in freezing temperatures for a while while others passed in front of him feely. After firing shots at Thompson, the attacker fled on foot, then hopped on an e-bike and rode toward Central Park. Reports from the scene described his weapon as being equipped with a silencer. A parking garage manager across the street told police he did not hear any gunshots when the attack took place.
Thompson’s wife said the CEO received recent threats, though they didn’t take them seriously. Thompson became the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, a part of America’s largest insurance company, UnitedHealth Group, in 2021. UnitedHealth Group was ranked fourth on the Fortune 500 list.
UnitedHealth Group halted the scheduled conference after they learned of the attack. Flags at UnitedHealth’s headquarters in Minnetonka, Minnesota, have been lowered to half-mast. The company also publicly stated, “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 those close to him.”
