UnitedHealthcare CEO was murdered today: A chilling targeted attack?

By MDLinx staff | Fact-checked by Davi Sherman
Published December 4, 2024

Key Takeaways

Industry Response

  • "This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota." - Tim Walz, Governor of Minnesota

  • "This does not appear to be a random act of violence." "It seems the suspect was lying in wait for several minutes." - NYPD Executives

Earlier today, Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was fatally shot outside of the New York Hilton Midtown hotel in Manhattan. The incident occurred in the early hours of the day, around 6:45 a.m. Thompson, 50, was on his way to an investor conference scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.[]

What we know

Witnesses reported that a masked assailant, described as a possibly White male wearing a cream-colored jacket, black face mask, black and white sneakers, and a gray backpack, approached Thompson and shot him multiple times in the chest. The gunman then fled on a bicycle.[]

"The suspect fled first on foot, then on an e-bike, and was last seen in Central Park on Center Drive early this morning," stated NYPD executives during a briefing on the incident.

Emergency responders transported Thompson to Mount Sinai West hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Preliminary investigations by the New York Police Department suggest that the attack was targeted, although the motive remains unclear. A citywide search for the suspect is ongoing, with no arrests made at this time.[][]

"This does not appear to be a random act of violence," NYPD executives said during a press conference earlier today. "It seems the suspect was lying in wait for several minutes," they added.

Violence in the healthcare industries

Although the suspect and motive behind this crime remain unknown, violence against healthcare workers and those in related fields is not uncommon. Some individuals, whether emergency room patients or healthcare consumers, resort to violence when dissatisfied with treatment or health-related outcomes.

A 2022 national poll conducted by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and Marketing General Incorporated revealed a 24% increase in emergency department assaults over a 4-year period, with incidents rising from 55% in 2018 to 79% in 2022. Approximately 85% of physicians reported experiencing loss of productivity, increased anxiety, and emotional trauma due to violence.[]

The 2024 West Health-Gallup Survey on Aging in America reveals that around 72.2 million Americans, approximately one-third of the adult population, avoided necessary medical care in the past 3 months due to financial barriers.[]

Among them were 8.1 million seniors aged 65 and older. Additionally, nearly one in three adults (31%) expressed worries about affording prescription medications in the coming year, a notable rise from 25% in 2022.[]

UnitedHeath Group

Thompson had been with UnitedHealth Group since 2004, having served in various leadership roles before being appointed CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021. Under his leadership, the company expanded its Medicare Advantage plans, serving over 7.2 million seniors.[]

In response to the tragedy, UnitedHealth Group's CEO, Andrew Witty, announced the adjournment of the investor conference, citing a "very serious medical situation." []

The incident has sent shockwaves through the business and healthcare communities. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz expressed his condolences, stating, "This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota."[]

The NYPD is urging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward as the investigation continues.

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