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The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the US’ largest health insurance firm that suffered a major ransomware incident, has been fatally shot by a masked gunman.
Brian Thompson, 50, was the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, the insurance arm of the UnitedHealth Group.
Yesterday (4 December), as Thompson was arriving at the Hilton on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan, New York, an armed gunman with a mask, black clothes, and a grey backpack shot him before fleeing into Central Park on an electric bike, where he was last seen.
Thompson was due to attend a company investor conference at 8am.
New York City police said the shooting does not appear to be random as the shooter arrived at the hotel five minutes before Thompson.
“This does not appear to be a random act of violence. Every indication is that this was a premeditated, pre-planned, targeted attack,” said New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
“It appears the suspect was lying in wait for several minutes.”
Thompson was shot at least once in the back and once in the calf during the attack., before being taken to hospital where he passed away.
Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny also noted that the shooter shot continuously, even working through a gun jam before continuing.
“From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” Kenny said.
While police are yet to establish a motive for the killing, Thompson’s wife told NBC that the incident may have been regarding insurance coverage and that he had received a number of threats.
The hunt for the shooter is ongoing, with police engaging drones, dogs and helicopters for the search.
While the investor conference did begin at 8am, UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty quickly took to the stage to say the event had been cancelled.
The UnitedHealth Group issued a statement following Thompson’s death, saying it was cooperating with New York police.
“We are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare,” said the statement.
“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him. We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.”
Additionally, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz offered his condolences on X.
This is horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community in Minnesota.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) December 4, 2024
Minnesota is sending our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team. https://t.co/6lAL2lJXzn
Earlier this year, UnitedHealth’s subsidiary, Change Healthcare, suffered a ransomware attack that affected 100 million Americans.
The group was first targeted by the ALPHV (BlackCat) ransomware gang, which demanded US$22 million in ransom.
When UnitedHealth did pay the threat group the ransom, ALPHV went dark and scammed its affiliate behind the breach out of the US$22 million payment.
Following this, the RansomHub gang claimed responsibility for the incident, initially seeking another ransomware payment. It eventually listed the data for sale.
In April, UnitedHealth said the incident had caused a US$872 million loss.
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