UnitedHealth's (UNH.US) CEO was shot and killed, and the company's investor meeting was suspended.
UnitedHealth (UNH.US) CEO of its insurance division Brian Thompson was shot dead outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan early Wednesday morning, according to reports. Sources said the company canceled its investor day event scheduled for Wednesday after the incident.
UnitedHealth, the largest private health insurer in the US, is worth about $563bn and had revenue of more than $281bn last year. Thompson, who had worked at the company for more than two decades since joining in 2004, took over as CEO of the insurance division in April 2021. Under his leadership, UnitedHealth became a giant in the US healthcare industry. Despite the news, UnitedHealth's shares rose nearly 1% on Wednesday.
The gunman, a white male, was wearing a black hoodie, black pants and black sneakers with white trim and carrying a gray backpack, according to sources. He used a silenced handgun.
Police confirmed that a 50-year-old man was shot in the chest at 6:46 a.m. Wednesday in front of the Hilton hotel at 1335 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan. The victim, who was unconscious when police arrived, was transported to Mount Sinai West hospital in critical condition but later died. No suspects have been arrested and the investigation is ongoing.
A hot dog vendor near the Hilton hotel said he did not hear any gunshots but noticed a sudden influx of police. A Hilton hotel security guard who started his shift at 7 a.m. said everything appeared "pretty normal" at the hotel. Both men asked not to be named.
UnitedHealth's investor day event was scheduled to take place at the Hilton hotel but was canceled due to the incident. CEO Andrew Witty said: "Unfortunately, one of our team members is experiencing a serious medical emergency, and we have to cancel today's event. We hope you can understand."
UnitedHealth has not yet commented on the incident.