Shocking assassination stuns corporate world
In a chilling early morning incident that has sent shockwaves through the healthcare industry, Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was brutally murdered outside a Midtown Manhattan Hilton hotel on Wednesday morning.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, Thompson was shot multiple times in the chest and leg at approximately 6:46 a.m. on Sixth Avenue. He was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai West Hospital shortly after the attack.
A planned attack, wife reveals ongoing threats
Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, provided a haunting insight into the potential motives behind the assassination. “There had been some threats,” she said in a phone call to NBC News. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know the details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”
Law enforcement sources described the suspect as wearing a black hoodie and black pants and carrying a gray backpack.
Witnesses suggest the assailant used a firearm equipped with a silencer, indicating a potentially planned attack.
Corporate disruption and immediate aftermath
UnitedHealth Group abruptly terminated its annual investor conference Wednesday morning, citing a “very serious medical situation” with a team member.
Thompson, who had been with UnitedHealth Group since 2004, was appointed CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021. He had previously led the company’s government programs, including Medicare & Retirement and Community & State divisions.
Ongoing investigation
As of Wednesday morning, no arrests had been made. The New York City Police Department continues to investigate what appears to be a targeted and meticulously planned assassination.
