The CEO of UnitedHealth's insurance unit Brian Thompson was shot dead outside the Hilton hotel in New York, Bloomberg reported citing police sources. Thompson died after he sustained bullet injuries to his chest.
The company was hosting its investor day on Wednesday, which was closed before time due to "a very serious medical situation" with one of its team members, UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty said.
Attack was targetted, say police
The 50-year-old had reached the hotel around 6:46 am for a conference, when a masked man fired at him repeatedly and fled the scene, the New York Post reported, adding that the police have called it a targeted attack.
The insurance CEO was quickly rushed to the nearby Mt. Sinai Hospital in a critical condition, where he was later pronounced dead. Police have made no arrests yet and that the investigation in the case is ongoing.
Police have released details about the suspect's appearance. They said he was a white male wearing a cream-coloured jacket, black face mask, and black and white sneakers. He is also reportedly carrying a grey backpack.
Attacker waited for CEO
Witnesses told The New York Post that the suspect had been spotted walking near the hotel purportedly waiting for Thompson. When he saw him, he began to fire his gun from a distance and multiple bullets hit Thompson in the chest, police said.
{{/usCountry}}Witnesses told The New York Post that the suspect had been spotted walking near the hotel purportedly waiting for Thompson. When he saw him, he began to fire his gun from a distance and multiple bullets hit Thompson in the chest, police said.
{{/usCountry}}The masked man then fled the scene and jumped on a bike to escape, police said.
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Thompson had worked with UnitedHealth for the last 20 years and took over the role of CEO in 2021. He previously held the position of head of government programs at the company, overseeing areas such as Medicare and retirement.