The 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare was reportedly killed by a gunshot to the chest. Police are still looking for the shooter.
The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the leading private health insurer in the United States, was shot and killed this Wednesday, December 4 in the morning in the center of Manhattan in New York, several local media reported.
Brian Thompson, 50, whose group has 440,000 employees and generates $371 billion in annual revenue, was shot in the chest around 7 a.m. (1 p.m. in France) near a hotel from downtown Manhattan. He then headed to the New York Hilton Hotel, in the center of the city, dressed in a suit and tie, to attend a conference of his company UnitedHealthcare, reports CNBC. He died on arrival at the hospital, according to Pix 11 New York television. The area around the hotel is currently cordoned off by the New York police.
The New York Times raises, citing anonymous sources, the possibility that the victim was targeted, killed by one or more shots from a firearm with a silencer, while adding that the circumstances of the accident still remain unclear. In addition, according to CNN, which cites sources close to the investigation, the alleged shooter would have been present around the hotel for a long time before the arrival of Brian Thompson.
Police are still searching for the suspect
No arrests have yet been made. The investigation continues and the New York police – who have only confirmed shootings targeting a person in the business district – are still searching for the suspect, who fled on foot wearing a black mask and a gray backpack, depending on Times.
UnitedHealthcare, for its part, did not confirm the shooting at its investor day, but canceled the event when it became aware of a “medical situation» regarding an employee. “We are facing a very serious medical situation regarding one of our team members and, as a result, I am afraid we will have to end today's event”announced Andrew Witty, another big boss of the group.
Brian Thompson had been part of parent company UnitedHealth Group for 20 years and had led its health arm UnitedHealthcare since 2021. The latter insures 51 million people in the United States and works with government programs such as Medicare, the federal insurance system. health of seniors.
Update : at 5:00 p.m., with more information on the attack
