The UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, was shot dead in front of a New York City hotel by a masked gunman. Shell casings found at the scene had the words “deny”, “defend”, and “depose” written on them. Thompson was targeted in a premeditated attack as he walked to an investor conference. The motive behind the shooting is still unknown, with the gunman still at large. Thompson had received threats prior to the incident, but did not have personal security. The gunman approached him from behind and shot him multiple times as captured on security video. After the shooting, the gunman purchased items from a nearby Starbucks and discarded them, which were collected as evidence.
Former FBI supervisor Rob D’Amico suggested that the shooting may have been a personal vendetta linked to the victim’s company, as it was easy to locate the CEO through publicly available information. The investigation is ongoing to determine the motive behind the attack. Unlike some of its competitors, UnitedHealth Group does not provide regular security services to its current or former executives, as disclosed in the company’s proxy statements. Other insurance companies, such as Humana and Cigna, do offer personal security to their executives. CVS Health, another major player in health insurance, has an executive security program that includes the use of corporate aircraft and a corporate driver for its CEO.
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