
A manhunt is underway in New York after a shooter killed the chief executive of one of the largest U.S. health insurers outside a Manhattan hotel in what police called a “brazen, targeted attack.”
Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot early Wednesday in the back and leg in front of the New York Hilton Midtown, officials said at a midday news conference. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the shooting “does not appear to be a random act of violence.”
The suspect was seen on surveillance footage appearing to wait several minutes before Thompson, who officials said did not appear to have a security detail, approached the hotel doors. The suspect remains at large after fleeing on an electric rental bicycle and was last seen in Central Park. Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information in the case.
New York police officials said there will a “massive police presence” where spectators are expected to gather Wednesday evening for the annual Christmas tree lighting in Rockefeller Center.
UnitedHealthcare did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
NYPD said the suspect fled the scene on CitiBike bicycle, a bike share run by Lyft. It is unclear where he picked up the bike, but officials said there is GPS location available on the bike and that they will work with the company during the investigation.
Eric Smith, a spokesperson for Lyft, which runs CitiBike, said the company stands “ready to assist law enforcement with this investigation.”
Paulette Thompson, 51, identified by NBC News as Brian Thompson’s wife, told the news outlet that officers from the New York Police Department had informed her that the attack on her husband was planned.
“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 said that the threats did not cause her husband to alter his travel plans. “I can’t really give a thoughtful response right now,” she told NBC News. “I just found this out and I’m trying to console my children.” The couple had lived in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove with their two sons.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) said in a statement she was briefed on Brian Thompson’s “horrific and targeted shooting” and directed state police to provide local authorities with “any necessary assistance.”
“Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of Mr. Thompson and we are committed to ensuring the perpetrator is brought to justice,” Hochul said.
In addition to being CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson was an executive vice president of its parent company, UnitedHealth Group, which had scheduled its annual investor conference Wednesday at the hotel where Thompson was shot.
Andrew Witty, UnitedHealth Group’s CEO, was giving a presentation to financial analysts that he abruptly cut short.
“I’m afraid that, as some of you may know, we’re dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members,” Witty said, according to a transcript compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence. “And as a result, I’m afraid we’re going to have to bring to a close the event today, which I apologize for. I’m sure you’ll understand. We were going to go offline now from the broadcast.”
UnitedHealthcare is a colossal health insurance company and subsidiary of the larger UnitedHealth Group, which is one of the five largest companies by revenue in the nation. Of UnitedHealth’s various businesses, including providing patient care and data and analytics, Thompson’s unit was by far the largest, accounting for about 75 percent of the parent company’s $371.6 million in revenue last year.
Many large corporations pay for personal security services for senior executives. Moderna paid $1 million for the security of its CEO, Stephane Bancel, in 2023, while Pfizer spent about $800,000 on security for its CEO, Albert Bourla, the companies disclosed in regulatory filings.
UnitedHealth Group said that Witty is required to use a company plane for all business travel and is encouraged to do so for personal travel. It did not disclose the cost of any perquisite for security in its most recent filing on executive compensation.
(c) Washington Post