Everything we know after UnitedHealthcare CEO killed in New York City
The CEO of US insurance company UnitedHealthcare has been shot and killed outside a hotel in New York City.
Brian Thompson was shot in the back and leg shortly before 7am EST (12pm GMT) outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
The 50-year-old was killed in a ‘brazen, targeted attack’ as he was preparing to attend his company’s annual investor conference, NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a press conference.
The gunman remains at large after fleeing the scene. Tisch said he had been ‘lying in wait’ for several minutes before approaching Mr Thompson and shooting him in the back and in the right calf. Here’s everything we know so far.
- Richard Thompson was shot in the back and leg shortly before 7am
- Police say gunman lay in wait and weapon jammed during attack
- NYC Mayor Eric Adams says police investigation suggests shooting was targeted, not random
- Suspect fled on foot before getting onto an e-bike
- Suspect last seen in Central Park on Central Drive, police say
- CCTV footage shows a man wearing a grey backpack
- UnitedHealthcare Group is cancelling its conference and other events
- Brian Thompson had been UnitedHealthcare CEO since April 2021
- As part of his role he oversaw government programs including Medicare & Retirement and Community & State
- Mr Thompson’s wife Paulette Thompson told NBC News he had been receiving threats
- Police are now offering a $10,000 reward (£7,866) for information
Who is Brian Thompson?
Thompson reportedly traveled from Minnesota, where UnitedHeathcare is headquartered, to New York City to attend the parent company UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference.
He served in numerous executive positions at UnitedHealth Group since joining the company in 2004, according to his LinkedIn profile. Thompson was promoted to CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021 and oversaw government health insurance plans and Medicare Advantage which are private plans.
Previously, he worked at the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers for seven years. He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1997 with a degree in business administration and accounting.
Thompson was a husband and father of two.
What is UnitedHealthcare?
Thompson was CEO for one of the US’s biggest health insurance companies. It provides insurance coverage for more than 52million consumers around the world last year, the company reported.
UnitedHealthcare is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and was founded in 1977. It offers health insurance to employers and individuals, as well as Medicare which is federal health insurance for Americans aged 65 and over.
Last year, UnitedHealthcare served more than 1.7million doctors and professionals in the medical industry, as well as over 7,000 hospitals and facilities.
UnitedHealthcare is one of the largest units of UnitedHealth Group, which employs more than 396,000 people. This year, Forbes ranked the group at No 203 in its World’s Best Employers list.
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