What we know about the shooting
- The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was killed in a "premeditated, preplanned targeted attack" outside a midtown Manhattan hotel this morning.
- A manhunt is underway for the shooter, who fled on foot and then on a rental bike, police said. He was last seen in Central Park.
- During the search, New York police released photos of the man they say could be the shooter, showing what appears to be a white man in a hooded jacket with a backpack and a covering obscuring the bottom half of his face.
- A motive is not yet known, but Thompson's wife said the CEO had previously received threats.
Who was Brian Thompson?
Thompson, 50, was named CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021, according to his biography page, and joined UnitedHealth Group in 2004.
He previously was CEO of UnitedHealthcare government programs, including Medicare & Retirement and Community & State. He was also the CEO of UnitedHealthcare Medicare & Retirement.
Thompson is survived by his wife and two sons.
Security video captured the moment Thompson was fatally shot outside a New York City hotel.
Thompson was on his way to speak at UnitedHealth Group’s investor conference when the gunman approached him from behind and fired multiple rounds. Police called the attack “preplanned” and “targeted.”
What is UnitedHealthcare?
UnitedHealthcare, part of the UnitedHealth Group, is the largest private provider of health insurance in the U.S., with more than 50 million customers of its medical insurance products. The company serves more than 13 million Medicare-eligible adults and is the country's largest provider of Medicare Advantage services. Thompson had been chief executive of the division since 2021.
UnitedHealthcare's parent company has a market value of $562 billion, which towers over health insurance peers such as Cigna, Humana, CVS Health, Elevance and Centene. In its most recent quarterly earnings report, UnitedHealth Group reported revenue of nearly $99 billion. UnitedHealthcare was responsible for the majority of that revenue.
UnitedHealth Group said in a statement it was "saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare. Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him."
NYPD releases photos of possible gunman
New York police released images of the man being sought in Thompson's shooting, though few identifiable features can be distinguished.
The photos show what appears to be a white man in a hooded jacket with a backpack and a covering obscuring the bottom half of his face.
Thompson told wife 'some people that had been threatening him'
Thompson's wife, Paulette Thompson, said her husband had been threatened previously.
“Yes, there had been some threats,” Thompson told NBC News. “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.”
Thompson lived in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove, but police there hadn’t been notified of any threats against him, Cmdr. Jonathan Wetternach said.
NYPD to be out in force to keep tonight's tree lighting safe
Tonight's tree lighting at Rockefeller Center is set to go on as scheduled after Thompson's fatal shooting a few blocks away this morning.
NYPD officials assured the public the holiday ceremony would have a large police presence to ensure everyone’s safety.
Plainclothes officers will be in the area, as well as members of the department’s intelligence division, “to make sure people come out and have a good time,” said NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey.
“And we’re going to have additional police officers in the subway, as well, so people can take mass transit to make it easier to travel into the city and enjoy the tree,” Maddrey said.
Manhunt continues for shooter in CEO's slaying
A manhunt is underway for the shooter who fled the scene on foot and then on a rental bike, police said.
He was last seen in Central Park. Crime Stoppers is offering a $10,000 reward for information.
Police said the man was wearing a black hoodie and black pants and was carrying a gray backpack. It’s believed he used a firearm with a silencer, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.
Nothing random about Thompson's slaying outside hotel, NYPD says
Thompson was on his way to speak at an investor conference when he was killed in a “premeditated, preplanned targeted attack” outside the New York Hilton in midtown Manhattan this morning.
He was struck at least once in the back and at least once in the right calf, police said, adding that the gunman was “lying in wait for several minutes.”
Police said the gunman arrived at the hotel about five minutes before the shooting and fired a shot at Thompson’s back.
“The motive for this murder is currently unknown, but based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear the victim was specifically targeted,” Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. “But at this point, we do not know why.”
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters that UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson didn’t appear to have a security detail and was walking alone when he was fatally shot.