The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was gunned down early Wednesday morning in an act of violence that shocked the business world.
Thompson, 50, was shot outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan. Afterwards, he was rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities told Fortune. The assailant has not been caught.
The former executive was killed right before UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor’s conference on Dec. 4. Many people were already assembled, and news of his death spread quickly among attendees.
One investor who was there described the scene. He said that people were sitting in chairs, many with their laptops open, when news of the shooting began to spread. Around 10 minutes after headlines first began to appear, Andrew Witty, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group, announced that there was a health emergency, and the event was canceled.
The investor said that as people realized what had happened, they started to get emotional, and some began to cry. Attendees then began to leave the room.
The investor, who said he had previously dined with Thompson on the eve of past investor day events, added that he was “a stand-up guy, a good dude. I’ve never met anyone who had anything bad to say about him.”
In a press conference on Wednesday morning, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the shooting a “premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack.” She said that Thompson was shot in the back and the right calf. The shooter fled on foot, and then on an e-bike. He was last seen in Central Park before 7 a.m. The motive for the murder is unknown, but the NYPD said this does not appear to be a random act of violence.
In an interview with NBC News, Thompson's wife, Paulette Thompson, said that her husband had been receiving threats. "Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him," she said.
Condolences have already begun to pour in for Thompson on Wednesday morning. Matt Burns, a communications executive whose LinkedIn shows that he previously worked at UnitedHealth Group, wrote in a social media post that Thompson “whip-smart and affable.”
“He toggled between his leadership role and relatable Joe as effectively and easily as anyone I’ve encountered professionally,” Burns wrote.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who represents Minnesota, the state where UnitedHealth Group is based, wrote on social media platform X that the killing was a “horrifying and shocking act of violence. My thoughts are with Brian Thompson’s family and loved ones and all those working at United Healthcare in Minnesota.”
UnitedHealthGroup released a statement on Wednesday writing: “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.”
