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

[justtrish]

It's an illusion because it almost blends in with the base of this vertical thingamabob.

View attachment 549427

I love that you used thingamabob! lol

 

[setyourselffree]

And with the clothing changes, did he have luggage with him in the hostel? That backpack doesn't look large enough to hold the gun and days worth of clothes?

I doubt he had other luggage, but let's just assume he only changed his jacket. I think that's doable - I often surprise myself with how much I can fit in a backpack for a business trip. But the real question is... a separate bag? How'd he pull that off? Stole one from someone at the hostel? I doubt he'd buy one or steal something to draw attention to himself. Something just doesn't add up.

 

[MesquiteO21]

you tend to get more more eccentric guests in hostels, so a man walking around with a mask over half their face walking down a hostel corridor would be less suspicious than someone doing the same in a Marriott.

RSBM
looks like you replied while i was editing my post but yes my point exactly! thinking back to both the hotels and hostels i've stayed in, he would be more likely to cause me a double take in a hotel than a hostel. maybe that's judgmental but his look definitely fits in more with a hostel. people usually bring suitcases to hotels, backpacks to hostels. a backpack like that in a hotel has more potential to seem out of place.
jmo

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

I doubt he had other luggage, but let's just assume he only changed his jacket. I think that's doable - I often surprise myself with how much I can fit in a backpack for a business trip. But the real question is... a separate bag? How'd he pull that off? Stole one from someone at the hostel? I doubt he'd buy one or steal something to draw attention to himself. Something just doesn't add up.

Someone upthread had mentioned he could have stored a second bag inside of the one bag he had on his back.

 

[whitelilac]

Video shows what appears to be the suspected gunman after the shooting on West 85th Street​

From CNN's Jeff Winter, John Miller and Taylor Galgano
Video shows what appears to be the suspect in the UnitedHealthcare CEO’s murder on New York City’s West 85th Street at around 7 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

Law enforcement tells CNN they have seen the video and think the video likely shows the gunman.

This video marks the latest in the day we have seen the suspect on Wednesday.

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/unitedhealthcare-brian-thompson-death-12-5-24/index.html?t=1733435942506

 

[comegetburnt]

And with the clothing changes, did he have luggage with him in the hostel? That backpack doesn't look large enough to hold the gun and days worth of clothes?

Was just thinking about something kinda related this. Forbes reported that suspect checked out of the hostel Weds morning before the shooting (which they credited to NYT, though NYT only said he checked out Weds). Assuming that's the case, somewhat noteworthy that the suspect rode the bike back in the direction of the hostel (last seen on the bike at W 85th St). He may have parked a car in vicinity of the hostel and left from there (along with the bike)? If that was the case, potentially lends some credence to the suspect being from points North (NY/CT) or even west (NJ), given the hostel's general proximity to bridges out of the city towards those areas. JMO

 

[arielilane]

@BrianEntin

Map and timeline of the UnitedHealthcare CEO killing.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1864791988375073001

 

[DS2021]

Video shows what appears to be the suspected gunman after the shooting on West 85th Street​

From CNN's Jeff Winter, John Miller and Taylor Galgano
Video shows what appears to be the suspect in the UnitedHealthcare CEO’s murder on New York City’s West 85th Street at around 7 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

Law enforcement tells CNN they have seen the video and think the video likely shows the gunman.

This video marks the latest in the day we have seen the suspect on Wednesday.

https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/unitedhealthcare-brian-thompson-death-12-5-24/index.html?t=1733435942506

15 second ad for a 13 sec vid

 

[alsleuther]

Has UHC or NYPD confirmed Brian was receiving threats? Have we heard this narrative from anyone other than the wife (just a few hours after he was murdered)??

Despite previous threats, slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson didn't travel with security

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, gunned down in front of a busy New York City hotel, didn't travel with any personal security despite known threats against him.

www.yahoo.com

I posted this earlier. This article states he did not travel with any security, and that if he had a security detail provided at all (paid for by the company) it would be listed in the company proxy statement, and it's not. Any security for execs exceeding $10K has to be disclosed in the proxy......

And yes, the only source I've seen so far of "threats" was from the wife.

 

[justtrish]

So I didn't realize how close Conniticut is to NYC. I was looking at gun stores in Conniticut to see if anything stood out. I noticed a metro goes from Conniticut to NYC. I am curious if the metro would allow bikes to be put on them?

What if there was a second person in Central Park and when he rode in there, he exchanged bags or something like that. The second person leaves with the evidence and then the gunman leaves the park without it. Second person disposes of it wherever, but he isn't being looked at because nobody is looking for that person. Calling someone could be connected or not.. maybe even just a call to a loved one saying an I love you in case things went sideways?

Also, I think it's much harder to hit someone that is moving in the leg than it would be the chest/upper body. If that was the plan, and I'd say messages on 2 bullets seems to suggest the plan was to shoot him twice.. then he sure hit that target.

 

[setyourselffree]

Someone upthread had mentioned he could have stored a second bag inside of the one bag he had on his back.

I guess anything is possible. It'd be smart on his part, but also it would seem you'd want to change something more drastic because even with these changes, you'd still generally fit the description of the shooter.

Also, it would be a little bit crazy for someone to think forward enough to pack an extra bag and jacket, but then knowingly be filmed at Starbucks the morning you do it and not be more careful with your trash and phone. Maybe he's just super ADHD like the rest of us!

 

[BUF]

LE gained new video of someone on a bike on streets of upper west side about 7:00 am after the shooting that could be the shooter.

The fake NJ drivers license he used to check into the hostel seems to be a bought fake drivers license as when LE checked the number, it didn’t exist.

Per CNN

 

[whitelilac]

Getting the impression that this guy is a "Catch Me if You Can'' type, leaving all his clues, goading the authorities, and no doubt watching the news and updates.
May backfire big time.

 

[armchairagatha]

Suspect in Killing of Insurance C.E.O. Is Said to Have Used Fake New Jersey ID

Investigators released pictures showing the face of the man they believe killed Brian Thompson outside a Midtown hotel. They said the words “delay” and “deny” were written on bullet casings collected at the murder scene.

www.nytimes.com

From the above: “But,” she added, “of all the places in this country to commit a crime like this, Manhattan would be the dead last location on my list.”

I think this is key to the motive. Why Manhattan with so many people and so many cameras? I can think of only 2 reasons why someone would kill him here instead of in his hometown:
- make a statement. NYC guarantees the crime will make the headlines worldwide.
- draw attention away from someone in his hometown/inner circle who ordered the hit. Muddy the waters.

 

[Cryptic]

This was an investors conference and, I thought I read somewhere, that though the details of the meeting were made easily accessible on line that the location was not made public.

I also could be making that up.

Maybe, but maybe not.

Two or more industry insiders have stated that investment meetings are for "selected and known invitees" only. There are no blanket invitations, nor can invitations be obtained via: "I work for a bank in a senior position and want to go- btw how good is the food?" type efforts.

Likewise, the posters also said that security is tight at the meetings to avoid problem people ranging from pain in the neck protestors to say, Unibomber types. IDs are needed to get in and are checked against the invited guest lists. Verified invitees are then given badges that likely need to be shown when re-entering etc.

As a result.... your feeling of the meeting being announced, but the location being kept confidential, could well be right.

 

[setyourselffree]

LE gained new video of someone on a bike on streets of upper west side about 7:00 am after the shooting that could be the shooter.

The fake NJ drivers license he used to check into the hostel seems to be a bought fake drivers license as when LE checked the number, it didn’t exist.

Per CNN

The video appears to have been taken from about 12 W 85th Street, facing east, so he would have been traveling west toward the Hudson River.

 

[RebelFem]

So I didn't realize how close Conniticut is to NYC. I was looking at gun stores in Conniticut to see if anything stood out. I noticed a metro goes from Conniticut to NYC. I am curious if the metro would allow bikes to be put on them?

Metro North runs from NYC to New Haven, and they do allow passengers to bring bikes onboard.

 

[Deleted member 350315]

So I didn't realize how close Conniticut is to NYC. I was looking at gun stores in Conniticut to see if anything stood out. I noticed a metro goes from Conniticut to NYC. I am curious if the metro would allow bikes to be put on them?

The Metro-North railroad (which runs between New York City and Connecticut) does indeed allow bicycles and e-bikes on their trains, albeit with certain restrictions dependent on day and time:

Bike regulations for Metro-North Railroad

Here are rules for taking your bike on Metro-North trains.

new.mta.info

 

[floridafreshsqueez]

But I'm guessing their estate isn't worth tens of millions of dollars? I think money is going to play into this case....

If their estate is worth tens of millions, all the more reason for a divorce to take longer. The more assets you have together and individually the more complicated the divorce.

The younger teen as a minor also complicates things. It is possible they did not want to divorce until both kids were adults. Also not unusual.

The only divorces that move quickly are those where there are very little to no shared assets and no children. Mine took about 4 months for that reason.

If he was receiving threats and communicating this with his wife, all the better that they were separated at the time anyways. The wife and son could have been targeted otherwise.

I think of course the wife has to be looked at, I’m sure a possible murder for hire isn’t off the table. But we’ll have to wait for more info to see if there is any connection.

 

[alsleuther]

Suspect in Killing of Insurance C.E.O. Is Said to Have Used Fake New Jersey ID

Investigators released pictures showing the face of the man they believe killed Brian Thompson outside a Midtown hotel. They said the words “delay” and “deny” were written on bullet casings collected at the murder scene.

www.nytimes.com

From the above: “But,” she added, “of all the places in this country to commit a crime like this, Manhattan would be the dead last location on my list.”

I think this is key to the motive. Why Manhattan with so many people and so many cameras? I can think of only 2 reasons why someone would kill him here instead of in his hometown:
- make a statement. NYC guarantees the crime will make the headlines worldwide.
- draw attention away from someone in his hometown/inner circle who ordered the hit. Muddy the waters.

I think options of places to kill him were probably rather limited. I'd guess he spends 90% of his time in Maple Grove, Minnesota, where he lives and looks like his office was 30 min away in Minneapolis. It would probably be hard to shoot someone and make a getaway there.

The killer would be limited to where Brian's work or maybe personal travel took him, and maybe thought NYC would be an easy place to get lost in the crowd?

Yes, I also think it was strategic to not do anywhere near his hometown.