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118
Cryptic Words “Left” By Gunman On Bullets That Took UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s Life
Investigators are analyzing new key evidence in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The 50-year-old was gunned to death outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, New York, USA, on Wednesday morning (December 4) in what police described as a targeted attack. While the motive is unclear, Thompson’s wife revealed he had received threats.
Highlights
- CEO Brian Thompson received threats before his assassination, wife reveals.
- Suspect may have left messages by engraving words on bullets: 'deny,' 'depose,' 'defend'.
- Gunman cleared a jammed gun during a calculated attack outside Hilton Hotel.
- Investigators found a phone and water bottle that may help ID the suspect.
Trigger warning: murder – Police are investigating whether the suspect who fatally shot Thompson left a cryptic message by engraving words like “deny,” “depose,” and “defend” on bullets found at the scene.
At 6:44 a.m. local time, Thompson walked toward the New York Hilton Hotel after leaving his hotel across the street, New York Police Department (NYPD) Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.
The gunman came up behind Thompson and shot him in the back, CNN reported on Wednesday.
RELATED:
Investigators are analyzing new key evidence in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
Image credits: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
“The shooter then walks toward the victim and continues to shoot. It appears the gun malfunctions as he clears the jam and begins to fire again,” Kenny said, as per surveillance videos.
Law enforcement recovered three live nine-millimeter rounds and three discharged casings in front of the Hilton hotel on Sixth Avenue, where the Minnesotan victim was set to host an investors’ conference that morning, The New York Post reported on Thursday (December 5).
Sources said several of the pieces of evidence each contained one word, indicating the killer may have been trying to leave a message. Investigators are now reportedly trying to piece together a motive.
Image credits: Kyle Mazza/Anadolu/Getty Images
After the calculated attack, the suspect reportedly fled on an e-bike toward Central Park, evading surveillance.
However, investigators believe the shooter made critical errors, including leaving behind potential evidence that could aid in identifying him.
Detectives believe a phone found in the alley the gunman ran through may have belonged to the shooter, CNN reported.
The 50-year-old was gunned to death outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, New York, USA, on December 4
Image credits: businesswire
Police also reportedly found a bottle of water that they think the gunman purchased just minutes before the shooting at a Starbucks around the corner.
Moreover, surveillance footage showed the masked suspect purchasing items at Starbucks, while the recovered phone and water bottle may provide DNA or other clues to his identity.
Police are still reportedly searching for the gun and bicycle used in the escape, though the phone, even if a burner, could yield valuable information about the suspect’s activities.
Image credits: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
“Based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear that the victim was specifically targeted,” NYPD Chief Kenny said at a press conference. “But at this point, we do not know why. This does not appear to be a random act of violence.”
Thompson, a father of two, had reportedly received job-related threats before the killing, according to his wife, Paulette “Pauley” Thompson.
“There had been some threats,” P. Thompson told NBC News on Wednesday. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”
Police described it as a targeted attack
Image credits: Christina Aguayo News
She added: “I can’t really give a thoughtful response right now. I just found this out and I’m trying to console my children.”
The grieving widow reportedly said police had told her it appeared the shooting was “a planned attack.”
Detectives believe the suspect in the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO operated slowly, deliberately, and in a way that suggested he was an experienced marksman, according to police officials speaking to CNN.
Image credits: Eyewitness News ABC7NY
Firearms experts who have studied the surveillance video reportedly said it appeared that the gun malfunctioned with each shot.
According to experts, the gunman displayed trained precision in clearing a jammed firearm, likely indicating law enforcement or military experience.
The weapon, equipped with a silencer, may have malfunctioned due to improper modifications.
While the motive is unclear, Thompson’s wife revealed he had received threats
Image credits: Eyewitness News ABC7NY
Police are currently encouraging anyone with information about the shooting to come forward. Additionally, NYPD Crime Stoppers announced a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person.
At 6:17 a.m. on Wednesday, the offender was at a Starbucks on Sixth Avenue, Thompson’s hotel.
As per images released by the NYPD, the gunman was wearing a hooded jacket with his face mostly covered while carrying a backpack.
Image credits: Eyewitness News ABC7NY
The gunman subsequently “lay in wait” for several minutes, NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch reportedly said.
At 6:46 a.m., officers responded to a 911 call of a person shot, according to NYPD Chief Kenny. At 6:48 a.m., Thompson was reportedly found on the sidewalk in front of the hotel with gunshot wounds to his back and leg.
Immediately after the shooting, the offender fled “northbound into an alleyway between 54th Street and 55th Street,” walked west on Avenue of the Americas, and eventually got onto an electric bike and rode toward Central Park, CNN reported.
The suspect potentially left a cryptic message by engraving words like “deny,” “depose,” and “defend” on bullets
Image credits: New York Post
Kenny said the bike had a GPS system and police are working on gathering more details from the company, as per the American broadcaster.
Thompson was left critically injured from gunshot wounds to the chest and leg. He was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, but it was already too late; he was pronounced dead moments later, Bored Panda previously reported.
Image credits: ABC News
The CEO was reportedly accused of insider trading and was the subject of an ongoing Department of Justice (DOJ) investigation.
According to legal documents, Thomspon had allegedly offloaded 31 percent of his UnitedHealth stock—totaling $15.1 million—just months before the public was made aware of a federal probe into the company.
At 6:44 a.m. local time, the gunman came up behind Thompson and shot him in the back
Image credits: ABC News
Stakeholders then complained against Thompson and other executives, accusing them of antitrust violations, Bored Panda previously reported.
The shooting comes at a time when the company is facing increasing scrutiny over its practices, with more than 33,000 pending lawsuits accusing the usurer of denying coverage to patients in need, particularly the elderly.
Thompson’s record led many to question whether he was assassinated to silence him for reasons connected with his legal troubles, and some have gone as far as to revel in his death, believing him to be responsible for the company’s malpractices.
Image credits: mcdermottphotos
Investigators were also reportedly probing the relationship between UnitedHealth’s insurance arm and its Optum health services division, which owns physician groups, over concerns that doctors might have been inflating patients’ illnesses to increase government payments, as per Bored Panda.
UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, was holding its annual investor conference Wednesday morning in New York City but abruptly ended it because of a “very serious medical situation” with a team member, NBC News reported.
The company reportedly said in a statement that it was “deeply saddened and shocked.”
Police recovered three live nine-millimeter rounds and three discharged casings in front of the Hilton hotel on Sixth Avenue
Image credits: ABC News
“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” the firm said. “Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.”
Thompson was a longtime leader in corporate America, a model student, and a star high school athlete, according to CNN.
He was appointed chief executive of UnitedHealthcare in 2021 and had been at the company since 2004.
Image credits: Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Thompson described her husband’s death as “senseless” in a statement obtained by CNN. She said: “We are shattered to hear about the senseless killing of our beloved Brian.
“Brian was an incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives.
“Most importantly, Brian was an incredibly loving father to our two sons and will be greatly missed.
“We appreciate your well wishes and request complete privacy as our family moves through this difficult time.”
“They are never going to find the guy,” a reader speculated
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What do you think ?
Helena 4 weeks ago
I'm trying to work up sympathy for the CEO of a place that makes its money ensuring others deaths, but I just can't get there.
Pyla 4 weeks ago
Yeah, we are about to enter full oligarchy mode and now someone aims correctly
Load More Replies...
Libstak 4 weeks ago (edited)
So he denied millions of claims as a matter of policy, he defrauded the government Medicare system with getting money for ailments they did not even have to the tune of $17 billion across the company, whilst denying patients claims AND he sold off 15 million in shares based on inside trader information. He is also separated and in the legal process of divorcing his wife. Wow, model citizen right there, who isn't a suspect at this point? It's like a House of Usher event.
James016 4 weeks ago
" he defrauded the government Medicare system with getting money for ailments they did not even have to the tune of $17 billion across the company" He did WHAT??
Load More Replies...
James016 4 weeks ago
I can't see anyone coming forward with information to claim the reward. From comments I have seen online there is a lot of sympathy for the shooter. But when one is paid $10m per year to lead a company which by all accounts has a policy of deny all claims then there will be next to no tears shed
R Dennis 4 weeks ago
My wife worked in contracting for UHC for a short time. She had been on the hospital side, but promotion in that industry usually involves changing companies - new hires get more options than those who stay. She came home upset so often that I told her she could just quit and we would figure it out - she was making WAY MORE than I, but at the cost of her happiness. She stayed until she found another job, but always referred to them as "The Evil Empire"... money was always the top, middle, and bottom lines. (She did what she could to get things covered at the patient/hospital level, but she was having to fight UHC to do it!)
Load More Replies... Trundle 4 weeks ago
I feel awful for his children. However i feel much worse for the children of everyone that had to watch their parents die slowly after he sentenced to death to make sure his stock prices stay 1 penny higher. At least his death was quick, he didn’t have to suffer for years because some scumbag CEO did everything in his power to deny him treatment.
catastrophegirl 4 weeks ago
professional skills but got caught on camera? messages on the bullets, including the word deny? someone has 0 fcuks left to give. my guess is 80% chance that either their loved one died due to denial of coverage or they themselves were denied coverage and are now terminal because of that. feels like the loss of a child/spouse/sibling to me.
Virgil Blue 4 weeks ago
It has a lot of those overtones to me too. Kind of "You essentially ended me. But at least I'm taking you barstud with me."
Load More Replies...
Terran 4 weeks ago
Oh sweeties, you don't know the motive? It's called class warfare, and this one won't be the last.
A Strike 4 weeks ago
If this guy had lived and was in the hospital you know full well all his medical expenses would have been covered. No denied claims here. F**k this guy and the INSANE amount of effort they are putting into the manhunt. Drones and dogs and a citywide search. Special treatment for the rich at its finest.
Novel Idesa 4 weeks ago
I'm sorry, can people really not figure out why the CEO of a health insurance company that routinely denied people life-saving care would be targeted?
Alexandra 4 weeks ago
Anytime a health insurance company announced they had a record profit you know that profit is based on the death and misery of those unfortunate enough to be insured at that company. This company has had multiple organisations after it because it's been suspected of withholding medical care and paying out too little.
Corvus 4 weeks ago
Anyone else surprised that BP used the words "assassin" and "gunman" instead of "unaliver"? :P
Tams21 4 weeks ago (edited)
I've always been taught not to speak ill of the dead and by all accounts what this man did might not have constituted a crime but it was morally far worse than what many people spending their entire lives in prison did. Nobody deserves to die but if someone is responsible for deliberately and systematically ruining lives for profit, they're obviously going to get a lot of people very upset.
Alex Martin 4 weeks ago
I am honestly surprised more people haven't sought vengeance against rapacious corporate officers who profit through murder, fraud and theft.
Heath Wright 4 weeks ago
United healthcare got a taste of their own medicine. I'm trying really hard to feel pity for this rich CEO, but I know he wasn't really a part of his families life, I bet his family knows their nanny better. How he could sleep at night knowing he killed people daily is beyond me. $$$$ was his true love. At least we have a little more oxygen to breath. As for the shooter, godspeed. I hope one can forgive themselves for murder. I know Brian Thompson had no problem sleeping on graves every night. Trash has a way of eventually getting removed.
Jules 4 weeks ago
This is why universal healthcare works...........grateful I live in a country with free healthcare.....you cannot be denied coverage. Urgent things like chronic disease, cancer and serious illness there is never a wait.........only for things like MRI for soft tissue issues and joint issues take a long time.....if it's not life threatening you have to wait a long time to get some diagnostic testing.
Captain Grump 4 weeks ago
I agree with you, but I don't like calling it free healthcare. It's an expense we happily bear as a developed nation, and demonstrates that some things need to be collectively paid for to realize collective benefit. It ain't free, though.
Load More Replies...
Scott Rackley 4 weeks ago
The only surprising thing is that this sort of thing hasn't happened sooner.
Jamie Mayfield 4 weeks ago
Dude made his fortune by denying life saving health treatment to others and got shot over it. Dude is responsible for far more deaths, pain, and suffering than that hit man could ever dream of. Let me cry him a river.
n75mk9nk2n 4 weeks ago
By setting policy that denied claims, this man was at the very least a mass murderer-by-neglect. I have no sympathy for him nor any other oligarch.
Socks Thecate 4 weeks ago
Clearly it was a carefully planned hit. I am surprised this doesn't happen more often given the class warfare waged on the American public. Stay safe, secret hero.
Captain Grump 4 weeks ago
This will likely be an unpopular take... I too have difficulty mustering too much sympathy for the man who was killed. However, we should think long and hard before we endorse violence and murder - even in the name of a cause we might support, or when the target is someone we deem to be evil. That ethic can cut two ways, and societies where things are solved with bloodshed generally devolve into chaos and hardship for most. I'm not saying we should roll over and accept a status quo where the elite few in power enrichen themselves on the backs, and sometimes on the very lives, of a growing underclass. But bear in mind that this dude, like Trump, is a symptom and not the disease. Someone will take his place, and those elites will use violence like this to justify their own violent means. In the same way that Biden just gave Trump a free pass to abuse presidential pardons, this c**p cuts two ways. Proceed with caution.
Libstak 4 weeks ago (edited)
Trump was never influenced by Bidens pardons, look at who he pardoned last time he was in office, including his daughter Ivankas FIL who he has now as an added "screw you" to any sense of moral decency made an Ambassador to France in the coming administration. The republican outrage is hypocritically manufactured, he also already stated he would pardon all the Jan 6 crowd before Bidens pardon. Finally, watching Donald Jnr sniff powder up his nose right in front of the world on a stage and then hearing NO outrage on any media just about sums up the crazy tunes state of everything for me.
Load More Replies...
marianne eliza 4 weeks ago
The perp, or the person who hired him, probably had a loved one denied coverage for a serious medical issue, or denied a d**g or procedure because it's not approved by the insurance coverage. Probably was the only chance the loved one had, but they couldn't get it and they passed.
Paul Sloan 4 weeks ago
Ooooo, maybe there is an underground group of "financial" terrorist going after corp. CEOs
Nimitz 4 weeks ago
Oligarchs everywhere quietly quadruple their security, then write off the cost. My expectation is the next time it happens, and there will be a next time, the private security goons are going to open fire and hit several innocent bystanders, and then their claims will be denied
John Harrison 4 weeks ago
Honest question: Why hasnt this happened more? Not condoning it but .... you know what I'm saying? I'd expect to see a lot of this going on right now, at least in America.
John Harrison 4 weeks ago
"... precision in clearing a firearm, likely indicating law enforcement or military experience." Lol, F-ing no. I'd love to talk to the "expert" that made this idiotic statement.
Ionescu Popa 4 weeks ago
so those five companies from minnesota finally removed their competition from new york.
Steve 4 weeks ago
FYI, being an angry guy with a silencer does NOT make you a professional killer.
CP 3 weeks ago
Who downvoted your comment? People watch too many movies and think it is accurate to real life.
Load More Replies...
John Harrison 4 weeks ago
Mmmm ... what? Was she DIRECTLY complicit in his business activities? Or are you calling for guilt by association? Are his kids next on your list?
Load More Replies...
Helena 4 weeks ago
I'm trying to work up sympathy for the CEO of a place that makes its money ensuring others deaths, but I just can't get there.
Pyla 4 weeks ago
Yeah, we are about to enter full oligarchy mode and now someone aims correctly
Load More Replies... Libstak 4 weeks ago (edited)
So he denied millions of claims as a matter of policy, he defrauded the government Medicare system with getting money for ailments they did not even have to the tune of $17 billion across the company, whilst denying patients claims AND he sold off 15 million in shares based on inside trader information. He is also separated and in the legal process of divorcing his wife. Wow, model citizen right there, who isn't a suspect at this point? It's like a House of Usher event.
James016 4 weeks ago
" he defrauded the government Medicare system with getting money for ailments they did not even have to the tune of $17 billion across the company" He did WHAT??
Load More Replies... James016 4 weeks ago
I can't see anyone coming forward with information to claim the reward. From comments I have seen online there is a lot of sympathy for the shooter. But when one is paid $10m per year to lead a company which by all accounts has a policy of deny all claims then there will be next to no tears shed
R Dennis 4 weeks ago
My wife worked in contracting for UHC for a short time. She had been on the hospital side, but promotion in that industry usually involves changing companies - new hires get more options than those who stay. She came home upset so often that I told her she could just quit and we would figure it out - she was making WAY MORE than I, but at the cost of her happiness. She stayed until she found another job, but always referred to them as "The Evil Empire"... money was always the top, middle, and bottom lines. (She did what she could to get things covered at the patient/hospital level, but she was having to fight UHC to do it!)
Load More Replies... Trundle 4 weeks ago
I feel awful for his children. However i feel much worse for the children of everyone that had to watch their parents die slowly after he sentenced to death to make sure his stock prices stay 1 penny higher. At least his death was quick, he didn’t have to suffer for years because some scumbag CEO did everything in his power to deny him treatment.
catastrophegirl 4 weeks ago
professional skills but got caught on camera? messages on the bullets, including the word deny? someone has 0 fcuks left to give. my guess is 80% chance that either their loved one died due to denial of coverage or they themselves were denied coverage and are now terminal because of that. feels like the loss of a child/spouse/sibling to me.
Virgil Blue 4 weeks ago
It has a lot of those overtones to me too. Kind of "You essentially ended me. But at least I'm taking you barstud with me."
Load More Replies... Terran 4 weeks ago
Oh sweeties, you don't know the motive? It's called class warfare, and this one won't be the last.
A Strike 4 weeks ago
If this guy had lived and was in the hospital you know full well all his medical expenses would have been covered. No denied claims here. F**k this guy and the INSANE amount of effort they are putting into the manhunt. Drones and dogs and a citywide search. Special treatment for the rich at its finest.
Novel Idesa 4 weeks ago
I'm sorry, can people really not figure out why the CEO of a health insurance company that routinely denied people life-saving care would be targeted?
Alexandra 4 weeks ago
Anytime a health insurance company announced they had a record profit you know that profit is based on the death and misery of those unfortunate enough to be insured at that company. This company has had multiple organisations after it because it's been suspected of withholding medical care and paying out too little.
Corvus 4 weeks ago
Anyone else surprised that BP used the words "assassin" and "gunman" instead of "unaliver"? :P
Tams21 4 weeks ago (edited)
I've always been taught not to speak ill of the dead and by all accounts what this man did might not have constituted a crime but it was morally far worse than what many people spending their entire lives in prison did. Nobody deserves to die but if someone is responsible for deliberately and systematically ruining lives for profit, they're obviously going to get a lot of people very upset.
Alex Martin 4 weeks ago
I am honestly surprised more people haven't sought vengeance against rapacious corporate officers who profit through murder, fraud and theft.
Heath Wright 4 weeks ago
United healthcare got a taste of their own medicine. I'm trying really hard to feel pity for this rich CEO, but I know he wasn't really a part of his families life, I bet his family knows their nanny better. How he could sleep at night knowing he killed people daily is beyond me. $$$$ was his true love. At least we have a little more oxygen to breath. As for the shooter, godspeed. I hope one can forgive themselves for murder. I know Brian Thompson had no problem sleeping on graves every night. Trash has a way of eventually getting removed.
Jules 4 weeks ago
This is why universal healthcare works...........grateful I live in a country with free healthcare.....you cannot be denied coverage. Urgent things like chronic disease, cancer and serious illness there is never a wait.........only for things like MRI for soft tissue issues and joint issues take a long time.....if it's not life threatening you have to wait a long time to get some diagnostic testing.
Captain Grump 4 weeks ago
I agree with you, but I don't like calling it free healthcare. It's an expense we happily bear as a developed nation, and demonstrates that some things need to be collectively paid for to realize collective benefit. It ain't free, though.
Load More Replies... Scott Rackley 4 weeks ago
The only surprising thing is that this sort of thing hasn't happened sooner.
Jamie Mayfield 4 weeks ago
Dude made his fortune by denying life saving health treatment to others and got shot over it. Dude is responsible for far more deaths, pain, and suffering than that hit man could ever dream of. Let me cry him a river.
n75mk9nk2n 4 weeks ago
By setting policy that denied claims, this man was at the very least a mass murderer-by-neglect. I have no sympathy for him nor any other oligarch.
Socks Thecate 4 weeks ago
Clearly it was a carefully planned hit. I am surprised this doesn't happen more often given the class warfare waged on the American public. Stay safe, secret hero.
Captain Grump 4 weeks ago
This will likely be an unpopular take... I too have difficulty mustering too much sympathy for the man who was killed. However, we should think long and hard before we endorse violence and murder - even in the name of a cause we might support, or when the target is someone we deem to be evil. That ethic can cut two ways, and societies where things are solved with bloodshed generally devolve into chaos and hardship for most. I'm not saying we should roll over and accept a status quo where the elite few in power enrichen themselves on the backs, and sometimes on the very lives, of a growing underclass. But bear in mind that this dude, like Trump, is a symptom and not the disease. Someone will take his place, and those elites will use violence like this to justify their own violent means. In the same way that Biden just gave Trump a free pass to abuse presidential pardons, this c**p cuts two ways. Proceed with caution.
Libstak 4 weeks ago (edited)
Trump was never influenced by Bidens pardons, look at who he pardoned last time he was in office, including his daughter Ivankas FIL who he has now as an added "screw you" to any sense of moral decency made an Ambassador to France in the coming administration. The republican outrage is hypocritically manufactured, he also already stated he would pardon all the Jan 6 crowd before Bidens pardon. Finally, watching Donald Jnr sniff powder up his nose right in front of the world on a stage and then hearing NO outrage on any media just about sums up the crazy tunes state of everything for me.
Load More Replies... marianne eliza 4 weeks ago
The perp, or the person who hired him, probably had a loved one denied coverage for a serious medical issue, or denied a d**g or procedure because it's not approved by the insurance coverage. Probably was the only chance the loved one had, but they couldn't get it and they passed.
Paul Sloan 4 weeks ago
Ooooo, maybe there is an underground group of "financial" terrorist going after corp. CEOs
Nimitz 4 weeks ago
Oligarchs everywhere quietly quadruple their security, then write off the cost. My expectation is the next time it happens, and there will be a next time, the private security goons are going to open fire and hit several innocent bystanders, and then their claims will be denied
John Harrison 4 weeks ago
Honest question: Why hasnt this happened more? Not condoning it but .... you know what I'm saying? I'd expect to see a lot of this going on right now, at least in America.
John Harrison 4 weeks ago
"... precision in clearing a firearm, likely indicating law enforcement or military experience." Lol, F-ing no. I'd love to talk to the "expert" that made this idiotic statement.
Ionescu Popa 4 weeks ago
so those five companies from minnesota finally removed their competition from new york.
Steve 4 weeks ago
FYI, being an angry guy with a silencer does NOT make you a professional killer.
CP 3 weeks ago
Who downvoted your comment? People watch too many movies and think it is accurate to real life.
Load More Replies... John Harrison 4 weeks ago
Mmmm ... what? Was she DIRECTLY complicit in his business activities? Or are you calling for guilt by association? Are his kids next on your list?
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