The logo of the United Healthcare (UHC) health insurance company is displayed at an office building in Phoenix, Arizona on July 19, 2023.
Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty Images
Brian Thompson, CEO UnitedHealth Group‘s insurance unit was fatally shot Wednesday morning outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan in what is believed to be a targeted attack, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.
UnitedHealth Group quashed reports of a shooting on its investor day. Thompson led UnitedHealthcare, the largest private health insurer in the US
The suspect is described as a white male wearing a black hoodie, black pants, black sneakers with white trim and a gray backpack, the person said. The suspect was described as using a gun with a silencer, the person added.
Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare
Courtesy: UnitedHealth Group
A New York Police Department spokesperson confirmed that a 50-year-old man was shot in front of 1335 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan at 6:46 a.m. ET on Wednesday. But the spokesperson did not confirm the identity of the person.
After a formal report from the department, the man was unconscious and unresponsive from a gunshot wound to the chest. Emergency medical services responded and transported the man in critical condition to Mount Sinai West Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
No arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing, he said.
Police officers stand near the scene where UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was reportedly shot and killed in midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024 in New York City.
Shannon Stapleton | Reuters
A hot dog vendor near the Hilton who was present at 6:30 a.m. ET said he heard no gunshots but noticed a sudden swarm of police. A Hilton doorman who started his shift at 7:00 am ET said everything seemed “normal” at the hotel. Both asked not to be named.
UnitedHealth Group hosted its Investor Day at the New York Hilton Hotel in Midtown. The company did not confirm the shooting at its investor day but canceled the event while acknowledging a “medical situation” with the employee.
“We — I’m afraid some of you may be aware — are dealing with a serious medical situation with one of our team members,” a UnitedHealth Group staffer said on Investor Day, according to a transcript. “And as a result, I’m afraid we have to conclude the event today, which I’m sure you’ll understand.”
UnitedHealth Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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ā CNBC’s Esther Bloom contributed to this report
