On the morning of December 4, 2024, local time in the United States, a murder case that shocked Manhattan, New York and the entire business community occurred. Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealth Group, was shot and killed outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. The following are the details of the case:
Case
Time and location: Around 6:40 to 6:45 in the morning, Brian Thompson was shot outside the Hilton Hotel at 1335 Avenue of the Americas in Manhattan’s 18th District.
Attack process: Thompson went to the hotel alone to attend the investor day event that day. A gunman wearing a black mask and a light-colored backpack walked out from behind a parked car, holding a 9mm pistol with a silencer, and fired several shots at Thompson’s chest and other parts. Thompson staggered after being shot, appeared to turn to face the attacker, and then fell to the sidewalk.
The shooter fled the scene on an electric bike, crossed a sidewalk to West 55th Street, and then rode north toward Central Park.
Follow-up
Event cancellation: UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor day event was scheduled to start at around 8 a.m. that day, and investors, executives and Wall Street analysts entered the hotel’s third-floor banquet hall, but they did not know that the company’s executive had been killed outside the hotel in the early morning. It was not until around 9 a.m. that UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Vitti interrupted the meeting and announced that the event was canceled due to “serious medical conditions of team members.”
Police investigation: New York police quickly dispatched, issued a $10,000 reward notice, and dispatched drones, helicopters and police dogs to search. The police also conducted a careful investigation of the crime scene and the surrounding area to collect evidence, including a bullet shell. In addition, police are investigating Thompson’s background for clues and conducting forensic analysis on a found mobile phone to determine whether it is related to the shooting.
Background
Thompson: Brian Thompson, 50, from Minnesota, is a fast-rising executive at UnitedHealth Group and was appointed president of UnitedHealthcare in 2021. His annual salary is as high as $10.2 million, including a base salary and $1 million in cash and stock awards. He has worked in the healthcare industry for more than 20 years, starting in rural Iowa and working his way up to senior management positions.
Company: UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest health insurance companies in the United States and is ranked 19th on Forbes’ 2024 list of the world’s largest companies, with a market value of more than $560 billion.
Suspicious points in the case
Why no bodyguards: As the CEO of a company with a huge market value, it is puzzling that Thompson did not have bodyguards or staff accompanying him when he went to the hotel alone.
How the itinerary was leaked: The gunman seemed to know Thompson’s itinerary very well and ambushed for at least 5 to 10 minutes in advance, waiting for the best time to attack, which indicates that his itinerary information may have been leaked.
Unclear motive for the murder: Although Thompson’s wife mentioned that there had been some threats and the industry often received complaints and lawsuits for issues such as refusing medical claims, the police have not yet determined the specific motive for the murder.
