The company's CEO Brian Thompson was shot in the chest near New York Hilton Midtown on Manhattan at 7 am local time on Wednesday morning.
United Healthcare is the USA's largest player in health insurance and is part of the New York-listed United Health Group. The fatal shooting occurred according to reports during the company's capital market day at the hotel.
Thompson, who had been CEO since 2021 but worked within the company group for 20 years, was severely injured and taken to hospital, but his life could not be saved.
Targeted attack
According to witnesses who spoke to Bloomberg, the shooter waited for Thompson outside the hotel and shot him at close range.
New York's Mayor Eric Adams says that Thompson does not appear to have been attacked randomly.
It seems that an individual clearly targeted him and we will apprehend that person, says Adams according to AP.
Reward offered
The shooter fled the scene after the deed and was last seen in Central Park. The police have offered a reward of 10,000 dollars (equivalent to 109,000 kronor) for crucial information in the investigation, but no one has been arrested yet, reports BBC.
The capital market day was interrupted shortly after 9 am when the audience was informed of a "serious medical situation".
United Health's various divisions sell healthcare, health services, and insurance in 130 countries around the world, and the group has a combined market value of 557 billion dollars (equivalent to 6,074 billion kronor).
