The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, one of the nation's largest health insurers, was fatally shot in the chest in midtown Manhattan, according to a police report.
The report said the executive, 50-year-old Brian Thompson, was shot shortly after 6:45 p.m. at 1335 Sixth Avenue - the address of the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel, the New York Times reported.
Thompson was taken to Mount Sinai West in critical condition.
Officers are still searching for the shooter, who fled eastbound on foot on Sixth Avenue. He was wearing a cream-colored jacket, a black face mask and a gray backpack. Police believe Thompson was the target of the attack, which happened during the company's annual investor conference in New York.
According to people familiar with the investigation, Thompson arrived early to prepare. The shooter apparently knew which door Thompson would enter through and shot him several times from just a few feet away, then fled by riding a bicycle.
Thompson was promoted to CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021, heading one of the units of the larger UnitedHealth Group. He lives in Minnesota. | BGNES
