US insurance boss fatally shot outside NY’s Hilton
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The news: The CEO of one of the largest health insurers in the US, Brian Thompson, was fatally shot outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan early Wednesday morning, according to news reports that cited unnamed sources.
The numbers: Police said a 50-year-old man was shot around 6:45am local time, before he was taken to Mt Sinai Hospital in critical condition, where he was pronounced dead.
Thompson had been CEO of insurance business UnitedHealthcare, one of two subsidiaries of the healthcare company UnitedHealth Group, since 2021, after joining the USD560 billion (870 billion) group in 2004.
The shooting occurred shortly before UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference, which Bloomberg said continued until 9:10am.
UnitedHealth CEO Andrew Witty then took to the stage to tell attendees: "We're dealing with a very serious medical situation with one of our team members, and as a result, I'm afraid we're going to have to bring to a close the event today," according to Reuters.
The context: Authorities believe the attack on the executive was targeted but have not identified a motive, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Witnesses reported seeing a man in the vicinity before the attack, milling around. Police sources told the New York Post the masked man shot Thompson several times before fleeing through an alleyway and hopping on a bicycle to flee the scene.
Investigations are ongoing and police were actively searching for the suspect. No arrests have been made, the Post said.
UnitedHealthcare extends its services to Australia through a partnership with nib Health Funds, according to nib's website.
The sources: Bloomberg, New York Post, Reuters
