Reports: UnitedHealthcare CEO Fatally Shot in New York City
Brian Thompson, a longtime UnitedHealthcare executive and current CEO, was fatally shot in New York City on Wednesday, according to local media reports.
Police told the New York Post that it appears to be a “targeted attack.” Thompson was in Manhattan for the annual investor meeting for UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, according to the Star Tribune.
The company halted the conference in the wake of the news. “We’re dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members,” UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty told attendees. “As a result, I’m afraid, we’re going to have to bring to a close the event.”
Thompson, who became CEO of Minnetonka-based UnitedHealthcare in April 2021, has been working for the company since 2004. Before he took the top job, he ran the insurance company’s Medicare business. UnitedHealthcare is the largest private insurer in the nation.
Before he joined UnitedHealth Group, Thompson was a practicing CPA at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, according to his LinkedIn page.
According to the Post, no arrests have been made yet, and an investigation is ongoing.
At a news conference on Wednesday morning, New York Police Department commissioner Jessica Tisch described the killing as a “brazen, targeted attack.”
In a statement, UnitedHealth Group said Thompson was a “a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him.”
“We are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare,” the company said. “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.”
