Who was Brian Thompson, UnitedHealthcare CEO shot dead outside NYC hotel? How did the shooting unfold?

The chief executive of UnitedHealthcare, one of the US’s largest insurers, was killed on Wednesday morning in midtown Manhattan.

The police have described the killing as a “brazen, targeted attack” by a shooter outside a hotel where the company was holding a conference.

They said the gunman was at large and they were still investigating a motive.

Here’s all we know about him.

Who was Brian Thompson?

Thompson, 50, led one of the biggest health insurers in the US.

He was the Chief Executive of UnitedHealthcare, the insurance wing of parent company UnitedHealth Group Inc.

He had worked at the Minnetonka, Minnesota-based company for two decades and led its insurance division, which employed about 140,000 people, since 2021. Before that, he ran the company’s Medicare and retirement business.

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As CEO, Thompson led a firm that provides health coverage to more than 49 million Americans — more than the population of Spain.

He was one of the company’s highest-paid executives, with a $10.2 million annual compensation package.

Thompson maintained a low profile as Andrew Witty, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group Inc., assumed a more visible position that included appearing before Congress and testifying.

However, the 50-year-old did often garner attention due to his influence on how Americans receive medical treatment. During an investor meeting last year, he described his company’s move to “value-based care,” which involves paying physicians and other carers to look after patients’ health rather than just treating them once.

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He also gained attention in 2021 when the insurer, like its competitors, came under fire for a proposal to begin refusing to pay for what it considered to be not critical ER visits.

Thompson started his career as a certified public accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he worked for nearly seven years, and had little name recognition beyond the health care industry, according to The Associated Press.

In 1997, he received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree with a major in Accounting from the University of Iowa. He also went to South Hamilton High School in Jewell, Iowa, from where he graduated in 1993.

“During his time at South Hamilton, Brian was a star student, athlete, homecoming king, and a respected leader. His achievements and character left a meaningful legacy within our schools and community,” Heather Holm, the superintendent for South Hamilton Community School District, told CNN. “We join all who are mourning in remembering Brian’s life and legacy.”

He lived in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove and was the married father of two high school students.

Thompson in May, was sued for alleged fraud and illegal insider trading.

The Hollywood Firefighters Pension Fund, Florida, filed a lawsuit against the company and three executives, including Thompson, accusing them of selling a combined $120 million in company shares before a US Department of Justice antitrust probe was disclosed publicly.

According to UnitedHealth Group, Thompson is remembered as a beloved leader and friend.

“Brian was 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. Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him,” the company said in a statement.

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What do we know about the shooting?

According to police, Thompson was shot multiple times by someone who approached him from behind as he was on his way to the company’s annual investor conference at the New York Hilton Midtown on Sixth Avenue at about 6:45 am,

Authorities said Thompson had no protection detail and was with himself at the time.

According to Joseph Kenny, the chief of detectives for the police department, officers discovered Thompson lying on the ground outside the hotel with gunshot wounds to his right calf and back.

He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital at 7.12 am.

At about 9 am, an hour after UnitedHealth’s conference started, Chief Executive Andrew Witty took the stage and announced the programme was cancelled because of a “very serious medical situation.”

The killing occurred a few blocks away at Rockefeller Centre, the site of the city’s yearly Christmas tree lighting, which is broadcast on television and attracts large crowds. Under strict security, police authorities indicated the event will proceed as scheduled.

“This does not appear to be a random act of violence,” New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a press conference. “Every indication is that this was a premeditated, pre-planned, targeted attack.”

According to Kenny, the gunman looked to be a man with a “very distinctive” grey backpack, black and white sneakers and a black face mask.

About five minutes before Thompson arrived, he was outside the hotel, waiting close to the building while ignoring other people before coming up behind Thompson.

The gun malfunctioned after the attacker started shooting at Thompson, but he was able to correct the issue and continue firing rapidly, Kenny added.

“From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” Kenny said.

The shooter ran into an alleyway near the hotel and later got on the electric bike that he took into Central Park.

It was unclear whether the mobile that police discovered in the alleyway belonged to the shooter, according to Kenny.

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Were there any threats?

Paulette, Thompson’s wife, told NBC News that he had received some threats, but she was unable to provide any details.

“Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage?” she said, appearing to allude to a potential insurance-related motive, according to the network. “I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”

The Minneapolis Police Department claimed there was “no occurrence” of Thompson in its records, while the Maple Grove, Minnesota, police department, where Thompson resided, maintained it had no records of threats against him.

Baird investment analyst Michael Ha, who attended the UnitedHealth event, said people were frightened, confused and crying in the hotel hallway.

Ha said Thompson was an “incredibly smart, talented healthcare leader, with such a bright future ahead of him.” “At the time, we did not know what had happened, when it had happened, where it had happened. So we didn’t even know if there was a potentially a shooter in the actual building itself,” he said, as per Reuters.

Dave Ricks, CEO of pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly who spoke at another business conference in New York on Wednesday, said Thompson’s killing was shocking. “He was assassinated essentially in the street going to his investor conference.”

According to a local tourism authority, the incident occurred at the beginning of New York’s famed Christmas season, which is predicted to draw over 7.5 million tourists to the city.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, New York’s murder rate increased, however, it has subsequently decreased to pre-COVID levels.

According to Reuters citing police figures, the city recorded 347 homicides until December 1 of this year, compared to 370 during the same period in 2023.

With inputs from agencies