Who was Brian Thompson? UnitedHealthcare CEO shot dead in NYC in "brazen targeted attack" according to police

Brian Thompson - the CEO of UnitedHealthcare - was shot in New York City on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. According to New York Police, Thompson was walking towards the Hilton Midtown on Wednesday morning, where he fell victim to a shooting incident.

The CEO was heading to the hotel to attend an investors' conference. Brian Thompson - who was 50 years old at the time of his death - attended college in Iowa and completed his graduation with a bachelor's degree in business administration, per his LinkedIn profile.

According to Jessica Tisch - the commissioner of the NYPD - the attack on Thompson was premeditated, pre-planned, and targeted at him. The masked gunman who shot Brian is still on the loose.

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Brian Thompson graduated from the University of Iowa

According to Brian Thompson's LinkedIn profile, he enrolled in a business administration program at the University of Iowa in 1993. Thompson studied there for four years, becoming the key recipient of the Delta Sigma Pi Scholarship for attaining the highest cumulative scholastic grade point average in 1997.

Brian Thompson was recognized as an outstanding accounting student during university. After graduating, he joined PwC in Minneapolis, starting as an Audit Manager and later becoming a Transaction Advisory Services Manager in 2002. In 2004, he moved to UnitedHealthcare as Corporate Development Director. Three years later, he was promoted to Vice President, Financial Controller, and CFO of Healthcare Alliances.

In 2010, he became the CFO of another UnitedHealthcare company - named AmeriChoice at the time. In 2019, Brian Thompson became the Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare's Government Programs. Two years later, Brian became the CEO of the entire UnitedHealthcare Group - a role he assumed up until the point of his death.

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Thompson was shot two times before his death

CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, shot and killed in midtown Manhattan - Source: Getty

According to CNN, on Wednesday morning, a masked gunman ambushed Brian Thompson outside the Hilton Midtown. The shooter reportedly waited about 10 minutes in freezing temperatures before firing twice from 20 feet away—once in Thompson's back and once in his right calf. Bystanders called emergency services, and Thompson was rushed to Mount Sinai West in critical condition.

The CEO couldn't survive his gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the hospital at 7:12 AM.

A source familiar with UnitedHealthcare Group told CNN that its leadership team is supported by in-house security, which was also assigned for the investors' conference. However, Brian's security detail wasn't with him at the time of the shooting incident.

The shooting video recovered by police officers also revealed that the weapon used appeared to be outfitted with a silencer.

Another source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN that the UnitedHealthcare Group was aware of "concerning threats" against its high-level executives. The claim was also confirmed by Thompson's widow, Paulette, who told NBC News that "there had been some threats" against her husband.

Paulette told CNN on Wednesday:

"We are shattered to hear about the senseless killing of our beloved Brian. Brian was an incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives. Most importantly, Brian was an incredibly loving father to our two sons and will be greatly missed."

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While the gunman who shot Brian Thompson is still at large, the New York Police is yet to announce the motive behind the CEO's murder.