UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Courtesy photo
The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest insurance providers in the nation, was fatally shot in the chest Wednesday morning: Brian Thompson was walking toward the New York Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan when he was fatally shot in the leg and chest, in what police say was a targeted attack.
Thompson, 50, was at the hotel to attend a UnitedHealthcare conference, being held in the ballroom, at around 6:46 a.m. when a masked man fired at the CEO and fled, police sources told The New York Post.
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There are no arrests at this time, and the investigation is active and ongoing. The gunman, who was waiting for some time before Thompon’s arrival, opened fire from 20 feet away firing multiple times, according to CNN.
Thomas was rushed to Mount Sinai West hospital in critical condition, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the New York City Police Department.
UnitedHealth Group executives were in New York City for their Annual Investor Conference, which was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. but was abruptly cancelled. UnitedHealth Group leaders planned to discuss the company’s long-term strategic growth priorities and its efforts to advance high-quality health care, according to a company statement.
The attack came just more than an hour before UnitedHealth was scheduled to host its conference. Just after 9 a.m., the company abruptly ended the event early due to "a very serious medical situation" with one of its team members, announced UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty.
Mike Federle, Forbes CEO, asked for a moment of silence in Thompson’s honor at the Forbes Healthcare Summit in Manhattana, a few blocks away
Related: UnitedHealth, Amedisys battle to convince DOJ of merger benefits
Thompson joined UnitedHealth in 2004 and was named CEO for UnitedHealthcare, part of UnitedHealth Group, in April 2021. Thompson has also served as chief financial officer for UnitedHealthcare’s commercial, Medicare and Medicaid programs.
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Lynn Cavanaugh
Lynn Varacalli Cavanaugh is Senior Editor, Retirement at BenefitsPRO. Prior, she was editor-in-chief of the What's New in Benefits & Compensation newsletter. She has worked for major firms in the employee benefits space, Vanguard and Willis Towers Watson, as well as top media companies, including Condé Nast and American Media.
