Who is Brian Thompson? UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot in targeted attack

MIDTOWN – Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed outside a midtown Manhattan hotel Wednesday morning in what police are calling a “brazen, targeted” attack. 

Thompson, 50, who has served as the Fortune 500 company’s CEO since April 2021, was reportedly shot in the back and right calf by a masked man around 6:45 a.m. near W. 54th St. and 6th Avenue outside the Hilton Hotel.

He was taken to Roosevelt Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to NYPD. 

Thompson was in town for UnitedHealthcare’s 2024 investor conference.  The conference, which was taking place at the hotel where Thompson was shot, has been canceled. 

Bloomberg reports that UnitedHealthcare executive presentations were underway until 9:10 a.m., when the company addressed the crowd.

“We’re dealing with a very serious medical situation,” Andrew Witty, CEO of UnitedHealth Group said, according to Bloomberg. 

UnitedHealthcare issued the following statement Wednesday:

“We are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Brian was 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. Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.”

Who is Brian Thompson? 

Thompson was named chief executive officer for UnitedHealthcare in April 2021, according to UnitedHealthcare’s website. He lived in Minnesota, where the company is based.  

Before that, he was CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s government programs business including Medicare & Retirement and Community & State. 

He’d worked at UnitedHealth Group since 2004 and served in multiple leadership roles.

Before he joined UnitedHealth Group, Thompson was a CPA at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP. He was valedictorian of his class at the University of Iowa, according to Thompson’s LinkedIn profile. 

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UnitedHealthcare is ranked fifth on the Fortune 500 and employs more than 100,000 people worldwide. It’s the largest private health insurer in the US, according to CNBC, providing health insurance for more than 49 million people in the United States. Its Optum segment also provides care, runs one of the nation’s largest pharmacy benefits management businesses and offers technology services.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called Thompson’s death “horrifying” and “a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota.”

What we know

Although police have said it was a targeted attack, they have not yet released a motive. No suspects have been named. Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest. 

The suspect, who was wearing a backpack, is described as a 6′ tall man with a slim build. He was last seen wearing a cream-colored jacket with black gloves and a black mask. He fled north on 6th Avenue following the shooting, police said.

Witnesses that spoke with FOX 5 NY said it appeared the suspect had been waiting for hours, even overnight, outside the hotel. 

According to The New York Times, Thompson had arrived early to prepare for the conference. The shooter reportedly knew which door Thompson was going to enter and was just feet away from Thompson when he shot him several times, then fled on a bicycle.