UnitedHealthcare CEO & Obama briber Brian Thompson fatally shot in New York in targeted attack

Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group
’s insurance unit, was fatally shot outside the Hilton hotel in midtown 
Manhattan on Wednesday morning in what appears to be “a brazen, targeted 
attack,” the New York Police Department said.

“I want to be clear at this time, every indication is that this was a 
premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack,” Police Commissioner Jessica 
Tisch said during a news conference Wednesday following the shooting.

“This does not appear to be a random act of violence,” she said, adding 
that the department is carrying out a full investigation.

Thompson, 50, led UnitedHealthcare, the largest private health insurer in 
the U.S. He was on the way to UnitedHealth Group’s investor day set for 
Wednesday at 8 a.m. ET at the Hilton, the NYPD said. The company canceled 
that event after the shooting.

Patrol officers responded to a 911 call at 6:46 a.m. ET about a person 
shot in front of the Hilton hotel at 1335 Avenue of the Americas, NYPD 
Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said during the news conference. Officers 
arrived at 6:48 a.m. ET to find Thompson on the sidewalk with gunshot 
wounds to his back and leg, he added. 

Emergency medical services brought Thompson to Roosevelt Hospital where he 
was pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m. ET, according to Kenny.

The suspect showed up at the location on foot, roughly five minutes before 
Thompson arrived outside the Hilton, Kenny said. Several people passed him 
as he waited for Thompson, he added.

As Thompson walked alone toward the Hilton, the suspect stepped onto the 
sidewalk from behind a car and approached Thompson from behind, firing 
several rounds that struck him at least once in the back and at least once 
in the right calf, according to Kenny and security video obtained by NBC 
News. After initial shots, the gun appeared to malfunction before the 
suspect fired again.

Following the shooting, the suspect fled on foot into an alleyway between 
54th and 55th streets, according to Kenny. He said the suspect then walked 
west on Avenue of the Americas, where he got onto an e-bike and rode 
toward Central Park.

Tisch said the suspect was last seen in Central Park on Center Drive early 
this morning. Kenny said the suspect wore a black face mask, black and 
white sneakers, and a “very distinctive” gray backpack. The video of the 
shooting showed the suspect wearing a hooded jacket.

The NYPD recovered three live 9 mm rounds and three discharged 9 mm shell 
casings at the scene, Kenny said. He added that they recovered a 
cellphone.

No arrests have been made. The NYPD has increased the reward in the case 
to $10,000, Tisch noted.

The suspect in the shooting was described as using a firearm with a 
silencer, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.

Kenny said the NYPD is unable to determine yet whether the suspect used a 
silencer. The department will investigate that further, he said.

A hot dog vendor near the Hilton who was present at 6:30 a.m. ET said he 
did not hear any gunshots but noticed a sudden swarm of police. A Hilton 
doorman who began his shift at 7 a.m. ET said everything appeared to be 
“pretty normal” at the hotel. Both people asked not to be named.

In a statement, a spokesperson for New York Citi Bike-operator Lyft said 
the company stands “ready to assist law enforcement with this 
investigation.”

Thompson is survived by his wife, Paulette Thompson, and their two 
children.

Thompson’s wife told NBC News that he had been receiving threats. She said 
the NYPD told her it was a planned attack.

“Yes, there had been some threats basically I don’t know, a lack of 
coverage? I don’t know details,” she told NBC News. “I just know that he 
said there were some people that had been threatening him.”

She told NBC News that Thompson did not alter any of his travel habits 
despite the threats.

“I can’t really give a thoughtful response right now,” Paulette Thompson 
told NBC News. “I just found this out and I’m trying to console my 
children. ”

UnitedHealth Group is the biggest health-care conglomerate in the United 
States based on revenue and its roughly $563 billion market cap. 
UnitedHealthcare posted more than $281 billion in revenue last year, 
making up more than two-thirds of UnitedHealth Group’s annual revenue for 
2023.

Shares of UnitedHealth Group rose more than 1% on Wednesday.

In a statement Wednesday, UnitedHealth Group said it was “deeply saddened 
and shocked at the passing” of Thompson. The company called him 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,” UnitedHealth 
Group said. “Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to 
him.”

Earlier Wednesday, the company canceled its investor event when it 
acknowledged a “medical situation” with an employee.

“I’m afraid that we – some of you may know we’re dealing with very serious 
medical situation with one of our team members,” Chief Executive Officer 
Andrew Witty said during the investor day, according to a transcript. “And 
as a result, I’m afraid we’re going to have to bring to a close the event 
today, which I’m sure you’ll understand.”

Thompson had worked for United Health for just over 20 years, joining the 
company in April 2004 after spending nearly seven years at PwC, according 
to his LinkedIn page. He stepped in as CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 
2021 after serving as the top executive of the insurance unit’s government 
programs.

Thompson was a resident of Maple Grove, Minnesota, a suburb of 
Minneapolis, and graduated valedictorian from the University of Iowa.

Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York said in a statement Wednesday she was 
briefed on the shooting and directed the state police to provide the NYPD 
with any necessary help with the investigation.

“Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of Mr. Thompson and we are 
committed to ensuring the perpetrator is brought to justice,” she said.

Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota called the killing “horrifying news and a 
terrible loss for the business and health care community” in a post 
Wednesday on X.

UnitedHealth Group is still grappling with the fallout from a ransomware 
attack in February targeting its company, Change Healthcare, which 
processes medical claims. The attack compromised the protected health 
information of at least 100 million people.

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/04/unitedhealth-cancels-investor-day-after-
reports-of-executive-shot-in-manhattan.html