UnitedHealthcare CEO Fatally Shot Outside Midtown Hilton in Suspected Targeted Attack
Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot Wednesday morning outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan in what authorities believe was a targeted attack.
The 50-year-old executive had arrived at the hotel around 6:45 a.m. for a conference when a masked gunman, reportedly waiting for him, fired multiple shots, according to police sources. The shooter fled eastbound on 6th Avenue after the attack.
Thompson was rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, police confirmed.
NEW: UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson shot and k*lled in Manhattan by a man in a black mask.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) December 4, 2024
The 50-year-old CEO was outside of the Hilton hotel when a man came up to him and shot him in the chest.
The masked man, who had a grey backpack on, then fled into a nearby… pic.twitter.com/umBPdGby17
No arrests have been made, and investigators are still piecing together the details of the case. Authorities described the suspect as a white male wearing a cream-colored jacket, a black face mask, black and white sneakers, and carrying a gray backpack. Witnesses reported seeing the suspect loitering near the hotel before the incident.
According to police sources, the assailant was not a guest at the Hilton, and it remains unclear if he had any legitimate business at the location. The attack reportedly began when the gunman spotted Thompson from a distance and fired multiple shots, striking him in the chest. Afterward, the suspect fled through the Ziegfeld alleyway and used a bicycle to escape.
Thompson had been with UnitedHealthcare for 20 years and was appointed CEO in 2021. Before assuming the role, he led the company’s government programs division, overseeing Medicare and retirement services.
