NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown. #11 *Arrest*

[cujenn81]

The fact he knew what time the shift changes for NYPD were makes me wonder if he had a serving or former cop helping him/keeping a lookout for BT

Police shift handover times are not the sort of thing readily available online

He could’ve determined that information by listening to scanner traffic for a few days.

 

[CrimeJunkie82]

I am still trying to play catch up to some of this and what is being said. Where can I read about the will and what is its significance in this case?

 

[MassGuy]

Totally agree. In my book we are all important. All Gods creatures.
It’s also constantly pointed out that he is a CEO. Bc obviously he was. But would it be any less heinous if he were just “Joe Public”?
It’s just the way life is, but he is obviously valued more bc he made a lot of money etc. Held a high position etc. ( the copycat business does not hold a lot of water for me - and the show of force perp walk to convince other ceos nyc is safe - cmon. NYC is as safe tomorrow as it was yesterday).
Look at the resources thrown at this. If I had a loved one killed this year in NYC and got perfunctory attention and follow up by LE - I’d be livid watching this. There were approx 280 murders in nyc in 2023
NYPD statistics show murders, shootings down in 2023; optimistic about 2024
Lots of inequities being underlined and highlighted by this case.
JMO

The entire world was following this case, and the pressure to solve this was off the charts.

It was an embarrassment to the city that this could happen, and the offender manage to escape (it shouldn’t have been, but that’s the reality).

This is the business capital of the world, and a CEO was gunned down by a nameless, faceless, assassin.

In no universe is any police department in the world going to treat this the same way as any other murder. The department’s credibility was on the line, as was the city’s reputation.

I’m just not understanding the comparison people are making.

 

[JDG]

Crime Junkie

If you google LM all sorts of articles will appear.

You want the will of Mary Mangione, d. 2023

 

[Friday Fan]

The fact he knew what time the shift changes for NYPD were makes me wonder if he had a serving or former cop helping him/keeping a lookout for BT

Police shift handover times are not the sort of thing readily available online

I assume it's 6:30ish? With shift likely starting at 7 am. Just guessing...

 

[Trino]

Why was Thompson who lived in Minnesota specifically targeted? Why not AW, the highest paid service CEO? Certainly not suggesting harm to him. Just wondering.

 

[Luna20]

But she has already passed away, right? So I assume her estate has already been distributed and her descendants have already received their inheritances. So any felony charges on any of them now can't affect their inheritance from her, right? Although it wouldn't be surprising if one or both of Luigi's parents themselves also had a similar clause in their own wills. Hm. Wouldn't that be interesting?

Very good questions, though I’m not sure that we will get those answers. But I hope that we do!

In my opinion something is off for his parents not to be in court. Even if it means one parent and only one day. Are they trying to protect the family fortune?? What message does that send??

There could be an issue of whether his parents recognized him and chose not to identify him. From an investigation point of view they may be concerned about that and they are choosing not to be visually present.

Disclosure: I haven’t read every post.

 

[MassGuy]

Very good questions, though I’m not sure that we will get those answers. But I hope that we do!

In my opinion something is off for his parents not to be in court. Even if it means one parent and only one day. Are they trying to protect the family fortune?? What message does that send??

There could be an issue of whether his parents recognized him and chose not to identify him. From an investigation point of view they may be concerned about that and they are choosing not to be visually present.

Disclosure: I haven’t read every post.

I think it's entirely possible his parents aren't there because he doesn't want them there. He did disappear for months prior to this murder, and they were desperately looking for him. Perhaps this is a continuation of that.

 

[Charlot123]

I am so saddened by the number of people who are condoning and even cheering on this murder.

This is not my beautiful country. Or maybe it was all along and it was well hidden up until now.

Either way, I'm saddened.

ETA: Having worked in the healthcare industry for years now, I completely get the rage against it. It's justifiable.

But I am saddened that anyone thinks murder is a step in the right direction.

There are always people with odd thinking, and essentially, everyone is a risk. The societal response is more indicative in the case. There is a moment when things can still be changed.

 

[Kapua]

I think it's entirely possible his parents aren't there because he doesn't want them there. He did disappear for months prior to this murder, and they were desperately looking for him. Perhaps this is a continuation of that.

I agree. I think it's also possible that they don't want to be snapped by the paparazzi or subjected to a barrage of questions. They are wise to lay low for the moment. Perhaps at the next hearing they can quietly be ushered in a side door. MOO

 

[LinasK]

I disagree with pretty much everything you've said, but I'll focus on a couple parts:

If Brian Thompson was gunned down outside his home in Minnesota, this is a story that does not lead to even a fraction of the coverage that we got here.

It's the totality of the circumstances.

It's the fact that he was gunned down in early morning hours, by a masked man with a silenced pistol, in front of surveillance cameras, in the middle of NYC, and the gunman got away.

It's the fact that this gunman wrote cryptic words on the bullet casings, and left a bag filled with Monopoly money for police to find.

It's the kind of case that is inherently going to capture the public's imagination, because things like this simply do not happen in real life. There is no comparison, and the implications are not the same as the hundreds of thousands of murders that have occurred in America over the past few decades.

Assassinations (this) and terrorist attacks have a much broader impact on the public than your typical murder. It has nothing to do with one human life being more valuable than another, but what the act itself means to society at large.

Threats increase, and as those threats increase, the likelihood that someone will be inspired by an event like this increases.

Which is precisely what happened with school shootings. It's not like kids didn't have access to guns 30-40 years ago, but they were inspired by what they saw on tv, especially after Columbine. Just think about all the mass shootings we've had since then.

So the fear here is that this is only the beginning, a new age of assassinating people in the public eye that someone doesn't like.

And a sick minority of the population thinks that's ok.

I agree. plus like I mentioned, I'm interested because we used to have UHC, were satisfied with our coverage- no denials, and I want to know what will happen following his murder- both to the company and to the shooter.

 

[Charlot123]

Here's why I point that out. Those who support him are approaching this from an emotional level, not a logical one. You cannot reason someone out of a position they did not reason themself into. So you point out the father thing to combat them on the level in which they are operating. Low as it is.

You can neither win nor lose because simply, if you make it "a murder of the father in NYC", you charge someone with murder.

But if the charge is terrorism, human arguments don't work. Because the act is viewed as "the cause." Moreover, be prepared that the answers would include statistics, numbers, and not a single person, but "them."

I'd rather see a good root-cause analysis, with offers about changing. Changes lead to stability.

Because...everyone says, "murder is not the way." Sure it is not. But the next logical conclusion is, "here what i see as the way". I was born in the country that once ended on the receiving end of terrorism, and it was inadequate response to the situation in general that triggered the rest, that whole bloody XX century.

BTW, there may be a draconian way to deal with terror as well, and it might be welcomed...as long as it is accompanied by wise economic politic. I believe that the answers are always, essentially, in economy, which is the foundation of any society.

 

[BrianJohnson]

Why was Thompson who lived in Minnesota specifically targeted? Why not AW, the highest paid service CEO? Certainly not suggesting harm to him. Just wondering.

Witty had a security detail, Thompson didn’t, I suspect he was observing both of them and decided BT the easier target

 

[MassGuy]

Good piece here featuring Barbara Mcquade, former US Attorney. She compares the terrorism charge to a hate crime charge, pointing out that people criticize that one too because it treats certain people as special. She counters that argument by saying that both hate and terrorism crimes seek to coerce and intimate a segment of the population.

She says that it's not your typical murder for that reason. This wasn't just a robbery gone bad, revenge murder, or a random murder on the street; it was designed to send a message to corporate America. The words on the bullets, the talk in the notebook of whacking a CEO, suggests that this is political violence, which has no place in America.

She addresses the risk here of giving him a soap box and how this charge may complicate things, but says that the evidence is very strong. She points out that even if a jury can't agree that the motive was terrorism, they can still find him guilty of second degree murder.

She goes on to talk about how there is no conflict between the Federal and state charges.

 

[girlhasnoname]

Witty had a security detail, Thompson didn’t, I suspect he was observing both of them and decided BT the easier target

Thompson had security detail available:

<snipped>

Questions are swirling over why Thompson wasn’t being guarded when he was gunned down execution-style in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday — with his wife admitting he had received threats over “lack of coverage.”

<modsnip - posting more than 10% is a copyright violation - see link>

Healthcare execs commonly face threats, says security expert — who wonders why UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was alone on NYC streets

 

[LinasK]

Good piece here featuring Barbara Mcquade, former US Attorney. She compares the terrorism charge to a hate crime charge, pointing out that people criticize that one too because it treats certain people as special. She counters that argument by saying that both hate and terrorism crimes seek to coerce and intimate a segment of the population.

She says that it's not your typical murder for that reason. This wasn't just a robbery gone bad, revenge murder, or a random murder on the street; it was designed to send a message to corporate America. The words on the bullets, the talk in the notebook of whacking a CEO, suggests that this is political violence, which has no place in America.

She addresses the risk here of giving him a soap box and how this charge may complicate things, but says that the evidence is very strong. She points out that even if a jury can't agree that the motive was terrorism, they can still find him guilty of second degree murder.

She goes on to talk about how there is no conflict between the Federal and state charges.

I've seen her legal commentary many times and also listened to her podcast. I love Barbara McQuaid's analysis.

 

[GRT]

Wife’s Comments:
"There had been some threats," she told NBC News. "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."

RSBM for focus...

I have to wonder now whether any of those threats were from LM.

 

[waldojabba]

The entire world was following this case, and the pressure to solve this was off the charts.

It was an embarrassment to the city that this could happen, and the offender manage to escape (it shouldn’t have been, but that’s the reality).

This is the business capital of the world, and a CEO was gunned down by a nameless, faceless, assassin.

In no universe is any police department in the world going to treat this the same way as any other murder. The department’s credibility was on the line, as was the city’s reputation.

I’m just not understanding the comparison people are making.

I understand the police reaction. It’s life’s reality.
The clip of that shooting seemed to be every where immediately. The media is 24/7 sensationalizing this crime and replaying the shooting with “breaking” updates like it’s the latest binge watch. Every outlet was saturated with it. It’s high profile so it gets high profile treatment.
The sense I have or the viewpoint I was trying to express is that in my PERFECT world no life matters more than another. I totally understand that It’s an altruistic aspirational view.
I understand how life works - justice has never been equal. It exists on a continuum.
I just don’t have to like it. And I can hope for better.
JMO

 

[GRT]

This guy is not a common criminal, as what happened here opens the door to something far larger and much more terrifying.

This is different than every other murder case I’ve ever followed; there’s no comparison other than this guy killed someone.

The broader concern, which I believe to be very real, is that this is going to become the new way of settling scores.

Copycats targeting politicians, business leaders, anyone that people disagree with. Your difference of opinion is a justification for murder.

Your common murder does not have these implications. So you respond by throwing the book at him.

What you do not do, is create a spectacle that undermines what you are trying to achieve. What they are doing is the opposite of what their goal is.

They are turning a cold blooded killer into a martyr with these optics.

Everything you say here is accurate, and yes, there is a real risk of copycat crimes.

I agree--throw the book at him--but don't feed into that martyrdom by heaping tons of attention on him--having Mayor Adams join the perp walk, etc.

LM is emerging as a symbol of rebellion against a system many view as unjust. That's dry kindling, just waiting for a spark to ignite it. The SNL audience cheering for LM is unsettling, but there's a palpable sense of disillusionment associated with this case.

LM, knowingly or unknowingly (personally, I'm thinking knowingly), played upon the emotions of people who feel unheard and powerless. That's a dangerous thing. When people feel that way, they can gravitate toward extreme responses.

 

[IDK]

UHG Statement

@sunspun This is right on the UHG website:
"... re-affirming that the killer and his parents were not UnitedHealthcare members."
The co's entire statement from that day Dec. 13 is below.


_____________________________________
"UnitedHealth Group Responds to Misinformation
"December 13, 2024

UnitedHealth Group today issued the following update:

"Claims approval rates
UnitedHealthcare approves and pays about 90% of medical claims upon submission. Importantly, of those that require further review, around one-half of one percent are due to medical or clinical reasons. Highly inaccurate and grossly misleading information has been circulated about our company’s treatment of insurance claims.

Whether the killer and his parents were UnitedHealthcare members
"Regarding the murder of Brian Thompson, we are re-affirming that the killer and his parents were not UnitedHealthcare members."

"About UnitedHealth Group" Then more info about co.

UnitedHealth Group Responds to Misinformation

UnitedHealth Group today issued the following update.

www.unitedhealthgroup.com

For clarification I would like to point out there is a huge difference between medical preauthorization requests and claims.

I don’t want to take this too off topic— but short version:

Claims are paid after an approved procedure or treatment has been completed. Providers are not going to submit claims for procedures where the preauthorization was denied. So of course it makes sense that number is 90%. Should be even higher, IMO!

The number that’s important, IMO, is how many preauthorization requests are denied? Wonder why they didn’t provide that information? Hmmm…. IMO.