The CEO of insurance giant UnitedHealth was fatally shot Wednesday morning outside a midtown Manhatten hotel in what sources say appears to have been a targeted shooting.
A masked man shot Brian Thompson, 50, in the chest just before 7 a.m. near the New York Hilton on Sixth Avenue, police sources told WABC. He was rushed to Mount Sinai West, where he later died.
Sources said Thompson, who lives in Minnesota, was not staying at the Hilton. He was in New York City for the company’s annual investors conference, which was held at that hotel.
Witnesses described the gunman, who fled down an alleyway, as skinny and about 6 feet 1 inch tall. He was wearing all black, police said.
“I wasn’t paying attention, and then I heard the shot. It was silent gun, black gun, saw him after he shot him and was running across the street. I tried take a picture, but too far away, not clear,” said Amar Abdelmula, a driver.
A law enforcement source told CBS News that police have a video of the shooting that shows the suspect apparently lying in wait for Thompson.
According to CNBC, Thompson was to attend the investor day at the Hilton on Wednesday. It was cancelled after the shooting.
CNBC provided further detail on the suspect’s description, saying he was wearing black sneakers with white trim, black pants, and black hoodie, and carried a gray backpack. Another witness told WNBC that the gunman fled on a bicycle.
WPIX reported that Thompson had been with UnitedHealth Group since 2004, heading up government programs such as Medicare before becoming CEO in 2021.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for more information.
