NEW YORK – A masked shooter killed the 50-year-old chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare on Wednesday morning as he walked to a hotel before he was set to address investors.
ABC News police sources reported the shooter appeared to have stalked and targeted Brian Thompson, the CEO of the largest health insurer in the country.
Thompson was shot in the chest about 6:40 a.m., near the New York Hilton on Sixth Avenue, between 53rd and 54th Streets, in Midown Manhattan, ABC News New York City affiliate reported.
“This was not what appears to be a just random act of violence. It seems to be clearly targeted by an individual and we will apprehend that individual,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams told The Associated Press.
According to the New York Police Department, Thompson was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai West. There was an ongoing search for a tall black-clad shooter who fled down an alleyway near West 55 Street and later got away on a bicycle, police told CNN.
According to the company’s site, Thompson joined the Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, in 2004 and was named CEO in April 2021.
His career included serving as CEO of the company’s government programs including Medicare & Retirement and Community & State.
Thompson also served as CEO of the company’s Medicare & Retirement and chief financial officer for the Employer & Individual, Community & State, and Medicare & Retirement businesses. He was also a financial controller and corporate development director.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.