The preliminary police investigation indicated the shooting was not random, according to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
WASHINGTON — The CEO of UnitedHealthcare was fatally shot Wednesday morning in New York City, sources in the NYPD confirmed.
Multiple outlets, including CNN, Bloomberg and the New York Post, citing unnamed sources in the New York Police Department, say 50-year-old Brian Thompson was shot just before 7 a.m. outside the Hilton hotel on 54th Street in midtown Manhattan.
UnitedHealthcare, the insurance arm of the health care giant UnitedHealth Group Inc, was scheduled to have its annual meeting with investors Wednesday morning in New York City, according to a company media advisory.
An announcement was made to attendees Wednesday morning that the conference was being ended early.
The shooting happened around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday outside the Hilton that is a short walk from tourist sites such as the Museum of Modern Art and Rockefeller Center. Police say the shooter fled. CNBC reported that the person used a weapon with a silencer during the attack.
NYPD later shared photos of the suspect and announced a $10,000 reward.
The preliminary police investigation indicated the shooting was not random, according to Mayor Eric Adams.
“It appears as though this was a targeted murder,” he said.
A press conference is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Eastern.
Part of the block where the shooting took place was cordoned off with police tape, with a large contingent of police officers at the scene. Many security cameras are nearby.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz tweeted that the state is “sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.”
“This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota,” the Democrat wrote.
UnitedHealthcare is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and is an international health insurance firm listed eighth on the 2024 Fortune Global 500, an annual ranking of the largest companies in the world. The company employs more than 100,000 people globally.
Thompson was named CEO of the company in 2021 after serving as an executive in UnitedHealthcare’s government programs division, which included Medicare and retirement policies.
The Hilton is in a bustling part of Manhattan, a short walk from tourist sites such as the Museum of Modern Art and Rockefeller Center, and often dense with tourists and office workers on weekday mornings. The popular Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting is set to take place Wednesday evening.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
