UnitedHealthcare CEO Fatally Shot in Midtown Manhattan, Law Enforcement Official Says

The CEO of UnitedHealthcare was shot and killed in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday morning, a law enforcement official said. 

Brian Thompson was walking toward the New York Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, dressed in a suit and tie, to attend a UnitedHealthcare conference being held in the ballroom.

A gunman, who investigators tell CNN was waiting for some time before Thompson’s arrival, opened fire from 20 feet away firing multiple times, striking Thompson. The 50-year-old was shot in the chest and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to the NYPD.

Details on the circumstances are not immediately clear, but investigators say it appears to be a targeted shooting. No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing, the NYPD said.

CNN has reached out to UnitedHealthcare for comment. Thompson was named chief executive officer for UnitedHealthcare in April 2021. UnitedHealthcare is part of UnitedHealth Group, ranked fifth in the Fortune 500, according to the company.

Around 6:46 a.m., a masked man fired multiple shots before fleeing east on 6th Avenue on a bike, police said.

Thompson was rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital but was pronounced dead.

The suspect, described as a white male in a cream-colored jacket, black face mask, and black-and-white sneakers, was last seen escaping through the Ziegfeld alleyway with a gray backpack.

Thompson, with UnitedHealth for 20 years, became CEO in 2021.

Police are investigating, and no arrests have been made.

By Agencies