NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown. #2

[kamare]

I'm all over the place too and haven't settled on a theory. I would like to know where he got on the bus. Atlanta is an international travel hub, and so is Newark, which looks like it's on the bus route.

jmo

Do they do security clearances for bus travel like they do on planes?

 

[RobSA]

I am sticking with my theory of foreign hitman hired by someone local in the USA who wanted Thompson out of the way.
- Starting point Atlanta - could have arrived at Atlanta airport from abroad
- looks Slavic/Eastern European
- looks and moves like a dancer/fine arts person (more common for males in that culture)
- familiar with dark web and crypto currency. Big hacker community.
- used a world war 2 gun (or replica) that hasn’t been traced so far. Russia was a big part of WW2.
- emotionless when committing the crime so this was not personal to him. He was just doing a job.
- no social media presence
- no one has stepped up so far saying they know him which is surprising if he was raised here.

Hopefully he is still in the US and they apprehend him soon.

I think the girl at the hostel would have told the police that he had an accent and that information would be put out to the public with the pictures.

 

[PawneeDew]

Both, the suspect and the victim, were seen on their phones prior to the shooting.
BT’s jacket is a lighter blue than most C-suites use. Very recognizable, especially if you’re alerted to it and the street was scarce with people.

Both!?

 

[getthefax]

But he flies or somehow travels to the US to stalk & murder an unknown Minnesotan insurance CEO on a busy NYC street ... what for? Adventure?

I mean I know we don't have the answer... it just doesn't fit for me. I don't see why anyone from outside the US would want anything to do with this for "sending a message" aka terrorism. Maybe a domestic terrorist... but even that still feels like a stretch so far imo

He’s the shooter, that’s why.
I stated I thought he was related to the ransomware attack in February. Some group has it out for rich companies they see hurting people. This member is a shooter, he stalked and murdered the ceo, and he’s going to be hard to find.
Others are responsible for hacking funds, helping plan, etc etc.

This is just a hypothesis I came up with to link facts of the case as I see them. I started my post with “my thoughts only” etc.

In spite of all the clues, the killer is still not ID’d and he’s still at large.

We’ll see what unfolds in the days to come.

 

[JDG]

Wasn't he shot in the back?

He was shot in the lower leg and immediately moved toward the building and was on the ground. He could no longer walk. While huddled next to the building, he was shot again.

I *think* he was shot in the chest after swinging around, the chest shot killed him.

 

[kamare]

He’s the shooter, that’s why.
I stated I thought he was related to the ransomware attack in February. Some group has it out for rich companies they see hurting people. This member is a shooter, he stalked and murdered the ceo, and he’s going to be hard to find.
Others are responsible for hacking funds, helping plan, etc etc.

This is just a hypothesis I came up with to link facts of the case as I see them. I started my post with “my thoughts only” etc.

In spite of all the clues, the killer is still not ID’d and he’s still at large.

We’ll see what unfolds in the days to come.

Why not just move on an do an attack on another company?

 

[Luna20]

Oh yeah, I could see this ... I keep repeating he can't be foreign, but what I really mean is foreign & self-motivated! It still seems like a hired hit IMO

If it was a hit it would seem like they would especially want the killer to be unidentifiable? This guy did everything wrong as far as not getting caught.

 

[JDG]

He’s the shooter, that’s why.
I stated I thought he was related to the ransomware attack in February. Some group has it out for rich companies they see hurting people. This member is a shooter, he stalked and murdered the ceo, and he’s going to be hard to find.
Others are responsible for hacking funds, helping plan, etc etc.

This is just a hypothesis I came up with to link facts of the case as I see them. I started my post with “my thoughts only” etc.

In spite of all the clues, the killer is still not ID’d and he’s still at large.

We’ll see what unfolds in the days to come.

He will be easier to find since lowering his mask to flirt with the receptionist!

Huge mistake!! Just enormous error!

 

[annpats]

Or, his Mom's care was delayed or denied and she died.

Yes, this is my thought too.

The perp has personal beef with the company, .and went straight to the top to get retribution.

An eye for an eye, if you will.

 

[Luna20]

Oh yeah, I could see this ... I keep repeating he can't be foreign, but what I really mean is foreign & self-motivated! It still seems like a hired hit IMO

If it was a hit it would seem like they would especially want the killer to be unidentifiable? This guy did everything wrong as far as not getting caught.

 

[Cryptic]

I think the girl at the hostel would have told the police that he had an accent and that information would be put out to the public with the pictures.

Providing she had strong enough English fluency to identify accented English. That can be hard if English is not her first language.

For example, I have been told that I speak fluent Spanish (learned fluency). But... I often need more than a passing conversation to be able to identify a particular Spanish accent.

Even then, I can only identify the most distinct national / regional accents when spoken by people with heavy accents. For example, thick Caribbean, Argentinian, "winey" Mexican, "Spanish Spanish" due to vosotros verb conjugations etc).

Other than that, "Spanish is Spanish" to me. An educated Mexican accent sounds identical to me as an educated Columbian accent. Native speakers may well be able to note differences.

 

[annpats]

He will be easier to find since lowering his mask to flirt with the receptionist!

Huge mistake!! Just enormous error!

True, but it would've attracted huge attention had he kept his neck scarf up covering his face!
He may have even been denied entry to the hostel.

His back was against the wall with it. Best to lower the scarf briefly and hope the CCTV isn't working.

 

[TTF14]

As I mentioned upthread, CBS News reported earlier tonight that the NYPD has confirmed that the bike ridden by the suspect was not a Citi Bike.

Are there other ebike rental companies in the city?

 

[kaen]

Cheaper than a store. And he didn't need a high-end e-bike.

Stolen bikes are fairly cheap. They are in lots of neighborhoods and available pretty readily.

 

[FoxxTraxx]

Well, I guess I won't be staying in a hotel in Manhattan any time soon.

Nine days in that hostel would cost $1296. Add to that travel expenses and food - he went to some expense to pull this off. I wonder where he got the money and what he has left to live on while he is on the run.

I was shocked to see how much that hostel costs now. I stayed there around 2003. IIRC it was about $35/night. Very basic accommodations. Not much privacy. Dormitory-style rooms, common areas, and bathrooms. Not a good place to hide out but apparently, he just blended in with the other guests.

 

[otto]

He appears to turn around after he’s shot in the leg. He twists his torso to look back at the shooter while grabbing onto the building. It seems like the shooter’s gun may jam during this point and then he twists all the the way around to face the building again and falls towards the ground with his back turned to the shooter.

I stand corrected. You're right. The first shot looks like one into the back of his left thigh. The gun is not held over his head.

I think the shot to the leg looks intentional - to disable, not kill. That's why I wonder whether he said something as he got closer. There's a running vehicle right next to the shooter, maybe he heard something.

 

[Friday Fan]

I have the same sense of the killer - he seems like an "anarchist" gutter punk. But tho that's an international movement, I just cannot imagine anyone but an American grievance-mongering against an American health insurance company CEO! It's just too tangential to any dumb "cause" for someone who's not American to even know about. A politician sure, even some celebrity for the shock value ... but a Minnesota-based insurance CEO ?!?!! Simply cannot imagine this is the man any foreign terrorists would pick to send their message
Moo

Yeah. Other countries don't understand our health care coverage stuff. Either they have much better health care coverage (EU etc) OR they're countries where healthcare itself is much more affordable (developing countries). I think our problem is mostly an American thing.

 

[moondogou812]

I just read they have him arriving last month on a greyhound bus from Atlanta... UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting suspect arrived in New York last month on Greyhound bus from Atlanta: sources

 

[Periwinkl3]

John Miller said tonight that the bus originated in Atlanta, but that it's not yet clear where the shooter got on. Could have been a half-dozen places.

 

[VAres67]

I stand corrected. You're right. The first shot looks like one into the back of his left thigh. The gun is not held over his head.

I think the shot to the leg looks intentional - to disable, not kill. That's why I wonder whether he said something as he got closer. There's a running vehicle right next to the shooter, maybe he heard something.

I think there’s someone quoted in the news saying the gun may have had some unexpected kickback leading to the initial shot being an unintentional leg shot. But idk if that was a legit assessment.