Search for shooter underway after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson killed in New York
Editor's note: USA TODAY has continuing coverage on Thursday, December 5, about the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
NEW YORK – The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, one of the largest insurance providers in the nation, was fatally shot Wednesday morning outside a hotel in midtown Manhattan in what police said was a "brazen, targeted attack."
Brian Thompson, 50, was shot by a masked gunman around 6:45 a.m. near the New York Hilton Midtown, where he was set to speak at an investment conference, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference.
Tisch said it seems the gunman "was lying in wait" for several minutes as other people walked by. Surveillance video shows when Thompson appeared, the suspect stepped behind him and opened fire from close range, striking him in the back and leg. Police said the gunman's weapon appeared to jam, but he still managed to continue firing.
Thompson was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police were still searching for the shooter, who hid in an alleyway before boarding an e-bike and riding into Central Park, where he was last seen, authorities said. The gunman was described as a light-skinned male wearing a light brown or cream-colored jacket with a hood over his head, a black facemask, black-and-white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack.
At the scene, investigators found three shell casings in addition to a cellphone located in the alley where the shooter initially fled. The phone will be processed forensically as part of the investigation, the NYPD said.
While officials said the motive for the shooting was unclear, "every indication is that this was a premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack,” Tisch said, also referring to the assault as "brazen.''
The NYPD is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to arrest and indictment of the shooter.
Thompson's wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News her husband had been the target of threats, but she didn't know their nature or from whom. "I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details,'' she told the news outlet. "I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him."
On social media sites like X and Bluesky, consumers Wednesday vented their frustrations with the health insurance industry. Many coverage decisions are made by employers in tandem with insurance companies.
Experts: Fixing jammed gun, use of silencer point to a planned hit
Surveillance video of the scene obtained by several news outlets shows the roughly 15-second interaction.
A person in a dark hooded jacket approaches Thompson from behind, stops and fires into his back. As Thompson staggers, a woman a few feet from him runs away clutching her morning beverage. What happens next has firearms experts speculating the shooting was well-coordinated and planned.
The shooter’s pistol, which police said was affixed with a silencer device, appears to jam. The person then manually racks the slide of the pistol to cycle another round into the chamber and fires at least twice more. The shooter take a few steps toward Thompson, now on the ground, pauses, then flees across the street.
Weapons experts said jams can happen with suppressor devices on pistols, especially handmade ones, since the weight and gas manipulation of the silencer changes its normal function. Another possibility experts suggested: The shooter could have chosen subsonic ammunition to avoid detection.
David Stark, owner of Discreet Ballistics in Wyoming said crimes with silencers continue to be rare, and it’s hard to tell from the video the type of ammunition used. “It’s possible that subsonic ammunition was used, or that it was just underpowered supersonic ammunition or dirt that caused the pistol to jam,” Stark said.
Subsonic ammunition, like those Stark sells, are meant to be quieter since they don’t break the sound barrier and can come closer to the “Hollywood quiet” depicted in movies.
Silencers are illegal to purchase and possess in New York and seven other states.
Thompson worked for health care giant since 2004
UnitedHealth Group is among the nation's largest health care companies and provides health insurance, pharmacy benefits and health care services.
Its health insurance unit, UnitedHealthcare, provided coverage for more than 27 million U.S. residents as of Dec. 31, 2023. The company covers another 7.8 million people globally with medical and dental benefits, mostly in Brazil, Chile, Colombia and Peru.
Thompson, a father of two, was named CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021. Before that, he served in several roles within the company, including a stint overseeing UnitedHealthcare government programs and the company's Medicare and retirement arms, the company website states. He had been with the company since 2004.
"Heartbroken and horrified by the loss of my friend Brian Thompson," Mike Tuffin, president and CEO of AHIP, a commercial health insurance trade association, said in a statement. "He was a devoted father, a good friend to many and a refreshingly candid colleague and leader. All of us at AHIP are thinking of Brian’s family and his UnitedHealth Group colleagues at this difficult time.”
No known threats, but scrutiny by Justice Department
Thompson lived in Maple Grove, Minnesota, about 15 miles northwest of Minneapolis. The police departments in both cities said they didn't have any records of threats against him.
But Thompson was among the senior UnitedHealth executives sued in May by a pension fund in Hollywood, Florida, that accused them of selling more than $100 million in company stock before the public revelation of a U.S. Department of Justice antitrust investigation, Reuters reported. Company stock sank upon reports of the probe.
Last month, the department filed suit on antitrust grounds to prevent UnitedHealth from acquiring the home care and hospice provider Amedisys.
UnitedHealth also has been confronting the aftermath of a huge data hack of its Change Healthcare payment processing unit in February, a cyberattack that disrupted medical care for patients and reimbursement to doctors for months.
UnitedHealth cancels conference, lauds Thompson
In a statement, UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of UnitedHealthcare, described Thompson as a "highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him."
"We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time," the statement said. "Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.”
UnitedHealth Group was hosting its annual conference for analysts and investors at the hotel Wednesday. The company ended the event early as news of the shooting broke.
“I’m afraid that some of you may know we’re dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members, and as a result, I’m afraid we’re going to have to bring to a close the event today, which I apologize for,” UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty said at the conference, STAT News reported.
“I’m sure you understand. We’re going to go offline now from the broadcast," Witty continued. "We’ll share with you an alternative mechanism to update you. I apologize for bringing things to a close, but I hope you’ll understand.”
Shooting rocks busy section of midtown Manhattan
Police cordoned off 54th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, a bustling part of midtown, as throngs of reporters crowded both sides of the street. The hotel is located near major tourist attractions, including the Museum of Modern Art, Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center, where the annual Christmas tree lighting is scheduled for Wednesday night.
On the first and second floors of the Hilton Hotel, which houses the conference center where the UnitedHealth Group was hosting its event, people wearing suits and badges were peering out of the windows.
Shaaban Elzokm, a hotdog and kebab cart vendor set up near the hotel, said he started work around the time of the shooting. He didn't hear anything but saw the police cruisers and ambulances show up.
“People are scared. Nobody’s coming for my business now,” Elzokm said, noting the area is normally very safe and all his customers are tourists.
'Horrifying news and a terrible loss'
Political leaders from Minnesota, where UnitedHealthcare is based, expressed grief and dismay in the wake of the fatal shooting.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wrote in a statement on X saying, "This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota. Minnesota is sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team."
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar described the attack as "a horrifying and shocking act of violence."
"My thoughts are with Brian Thompson’s family and loved ones and all those working at United Healthcare in Minnesota," she said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
"This is a shocking and devastating loss for our whole community," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said in a statement on social media. "Brian was a great man and my thoughts are with his family and friends at this time."
(This is a developing story and will be updated.)
Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas, Ken Alltucker and Samantha Woodward, USA TODAY; Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Search ongoing after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson killed in NY