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

[BUF]

As far as the shooters Starbucks visit that morning….I have always thought that he went there to try to make himself look less suspicious just hanging around waiting for Thompson with way less pedestrians that early in the morning and harder to just blend in the usually busy streets.

I doubt he even drank out of that water bottle he purchased, leaving his dna.

 

[Deleted member 306806]

....or simply wait til your murder was completed and then grab a cup of joe anywhere.

I had a big chuckle over the wording. But IMO suspect did consider correctly that getting his cuppa while escaping would be more difficult

As to why he was in Manhattan for a couple of days prior - that is puzzling as well. Do we know when Brian arrived in the city? Could the killer have been stalking him after his arrival, hoping for the right opportunity to arise? Was it dump luck that he allegedly arrived shortly before Brian appears on the street or something more?

Suspect would be on surveillance video in the prior days. I wonder what will be discovered.

 

[alsleuther]

I agree that it's probably not a foreign plot. Just seems too far fetched to me. The killer doesn't look "foreign" to me, he looks like every other dude. I think speculations as to his ethnicity are pointless given that NYC is home to people from just about everywhere and is one of the most diverse places on Earth.
Although I think of hating United/private insurance companies as being a uniquely American thing, United is a multinational corporation. And one of the largest companies in the world. That does support the foreign actor theory, I guess, but the killer's knowledge of the city and possession of a large, cumbersome e-bike that isn't from a bike share service suggests he's local.
I disagree that it's the estranged wife. IMO if she wanted to kill him, why now? They've apparently been separated for years. There's no contentious divorce or custody battle to give her a motive. Though, as his legal spouse she would likely benefit from his death financially. Unless they've legally separated or he's changed his beneficiaries since the separation.
I guess I've argued against myself in this post, but my hunches remain: 1) not a foreign plot and 2) not the estranged wife. Looking forward to more details about this crazy case.

But there is the DOJ investigation for insider trading for $15M. If found guilty of that, his net worth would be greatly affected, he'd lose his job, all his licenses and maybe go to prison, and maybe civil suits would follow. So it's possible he was worth more dead than alive to some people?

 

[getthefax]

If the burner phone does belong to the suspect then that's the answer in terms of him working with someone else. Don't need a burner phone to communicate with yourself.

LE haven't released the location of where he made that phone call (unlike all other pieces of CCTV footage). <modsnip>

We don’t honestly know that it was a burner.
Or that he was communicating with anyone else about the shooting, though…

It could have just been the man’s phone. Or a stolen phone he just tossed or dropped for funsies (he did take time to write on the rounds, so we know he thinks those kinds of taunts are cute).

MOO

 

[Baby baby Jane]

I think he is homegrown. For one, I bet he doesn't have a pronounced accent. For two, he is flexible (this is why i wonder about his ethnicity) and has an interesting walk, but if 6'1" is to be believed, he is "US-fed".

Netherlands has tallest population, average male 6 feet
USA average male 5’9”

 

[Chimera]

If they say “found the ID”, does that mean the ID card or just the name?

Great question !

 

[bestill]

NJ might be simply "close to NY", like CT.
On the other hand, Rutgers where his favorite author is a professor, is located in NJ.

Hmmm, could he be a radicalized college student?

 

[Tippy Lynn]

a fingerprint believed to be the shooter’s was found on a water bottle at the murder scene, but that it was too smudged to be of value.
Update from Andy Newman

well that turned out to be a lucky break. How lucky remains to be seen.

I too am confused about the reasoning behind the Starbucks visit. Such a visible and I would think high traffic choice to make when you could grab a coffee somewhere more nondescript or simply wait til your murder was completed and then grab a cup of joe anywhere. And then to leave the water bottle behind. I get leaving the casings behind, they were part of the message. But the water bottle would seem to have been an error. Turns out not a fata one but still, this crime is a mixture of premeditation/planning and messy disorder?

As to why he was in Manhattan for a couple of days prior - that is puzzling as well. Do we know when Brian arrived in the city? Could the killer have been stalking him after his arrival, hoping for the right opportunity to arise? Was it dump luck that he allegedly arrived shortly before Brian appears on the street or something more?

I read that BT arrived in the city on Monday, 12/2.

ETA, BT arrived Monday, wife’s birthday is Tuesday, 12/3 and murdered on Wednesday, 12/4.

 

[MassGuy]

I agree with those who have said that this murder is getting so much more attention than other murders that happen in NYC.

IMO it’s not only because “rich white man” gets more attention than others.

It’s also because midtown Manhattan is not a common area for this type of crime.

It’s very brazen to shoot someone at close range on a sidewalk in such a well-traveled, busy district.

Even on a cold day at 7 in the morning there will be people around. People are heading out for their morning run before work, people are getting their coffee (like the suspect) and gearing up for their busy day. People are getting off the night shift. Etcetera.

There are in fact fewer crowds than there were prior to Covid and people working remotely, but it’s still midtown Manhattan.

IMO one additional factor adding to the publicity and adding to the amount of effort into catching the suspect has something to do with NYC being an epicenter of business and of tourism.

If business people across America feel they aren’t safe in one of the safest areas in NYC, then they may not come. That would be billions of dollars in future lost income for NY industries such as hotels and restaurants.

Also because it’s holiday season here and we have so many tourists at this time of year. A gunman killing someone in front of a hotel is a black eye for the city.

Of course I know that BT’s life shouldn’t matter more than the average Joe, and it doesn’t, but the ramifications hitting the business class is a blow to NYC revenue.


JMO

Also, you have a murder literally captured on camera, and the killer is using a gun with a silencer (or appears that way). That really captures the imagination, as it's like something out of a movie.

An elusive assassin on the loose. That'll generate a media storm every time.

 

[Chimera]

The live action video makes the gun look much shorter than this photo.

It looks like a shadow at the end of the silencer ?
Making the gun look like it angles downward -- which it wouldn't.
Omo.

 

[soap mama]

Comments here are making him sound very young than what I assumed previously. I think now that he is in the 20-25 age group (and potentially a college student). JMO

If he's in college, he needs to take his finals and stop killing people lol. He IS very fresh faced and unthreatening looking.

 

[flowershop]

Note that this is not the same backpack.

Was he carrying two, one within the other and making sure he was videoed with the unique one??

That way, no one from the hostel will be quick to ID him perhaps.

I can't determine one way or the other but the article states that it is the same backpack used in the shooting.

 

[LinasK]

Also, you have a murder literally captured on camera, and the killer is using a gun with a silencer (or appears that way). That really captures the imagination, as it's like something out of a movie.

An elusive assassin on the loose. That'll generate a media storm every time.

Agreed, plus it's a high-profile killing because he's the CEO of a major healthcare organization. Not some Joe Schmoe. That's what grabbed my attention. United Healthcare used to be our health insurance and is again for my husband's Medicare.

 

[MinnesotaMary]

I will be very interested to see if this assassin gets away with it - my leaning is the assassin is from some country that never extradites, and assassin is back home enjoying the money he earned for his 'work'. My view is that this sure seems like a truly organized effort to send the message to these money grubbing health care insurers that a subset of like-minded folks have had enough and are in a group state of mind it's murder plus terrorism on the way. They HAVE sent a message, you know... For e.g., I read that just an hour before the pipe bomb threat at the deceased's Maple Grove MN mansion, someone with Ill. license plates stuck an envelope in wife's mansions' mailbox (they now had security......roll eyes....). I just want to emphasize that I am not at all surprised that an organized entity has done this, if that's what turns out to be the case. Reminds me of when Borat got caught in a rainstorm and the two Trump-sticks took him home for the night and they talked about Hillary Clinton and what she deserved to have done to her due to her eating newborn babies.... Redneck'y.

 

[DS2021]

Fake ID to book a hostel, sure. To get a gun in CT? I don’t think so. Maybe someone else purchased the gun.

Not in Connecticut, but still interesting regardless

NH double murder suspect used fake ID, alias to buy gun in Barre

The investigation into a NH double murder has also revealed what appears to be a large hole in the background check system for gun purchases.

www.google.com

 

[LinasK]

I will be very interested to see if this assassin gets away with it - my leaning is the assassin is from some country that never extradites, and assassin is back home enjoying the money he earned for his 'work'. My view is that this sure seems like a truly organized effort to send the message to these money grubbing health care insurers that a subset of like-minded folks have had enough and are in a group state of mind it's murder plus terrorism on the way. They HAVE sent a message, you know... For e.g., I read that just an hour before the pipe bomb threat at the deceased's Maple Grove MN mansion, someone with Ill. license plates stuck an envelope in wife's mansions' mailbox (they now had security......roll eyes....). I just want to emphasize that I am not at all surprised that an organized entity has done this, if that's what turns out to be the case. Reminds me of when Borat got caught in a rainstorm and the two Trump-sticks took him home for the night and they talked about Hillary Clinton and what she deserved to have done to her due to her eating newborn babies.... Redneck'y.

Can't remember the words on the bullet now because I'm tired, but the 3rd word was Depose. Sounds to me like the "message" was to kill him because of his position at UHC. So now I'm leaning back towards amateur with a grudge.

 

[Elley Mae]

I had a big chuckle over the wording. But IMO suspect did consider correctly that getting his cuppa while escaping would be more difficult

Suspect would be on surveillance video in the prior days. I wonder what will be discovered.

Scoping out the place in advance, at this time it has been to his benefit. He’s still out there.

 

[Charlot123]

I would hope the people at the hostel would know if he had an accent. If he was leaving the US to go "back home", I would think he'd have some type of accent. Those that live here and are citizens can also have an accent, but if he isn't from here, then he surely would have one.

Here is a thing. If he flew from the West Coast or the South, the New Yorkers would already notice a non-local accent. But if he lived in NY or NJ or Southern CT as a kid, and then moved out before puberty, and lived elsewhere in the country, then he may speak like a nonlocal, but very easily regain NY accent upon returning back. Also, if he moved shortly before puberty hit, and is now returning as a young adult, he is practically unrecognizable. It is quite a valid scenario.

 

[getthefax]

It looks like a shadow at the end of the silencer ?
Making the gun look like it angles downward -- which it wouldn't.
Omo.

Yes that’s why I posted the pics— to show the gun alone and with the “loading” pylon behind it

 

[epiphany]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1864802013986390094

Suspect seen casually strolling through NYC subway station just 30 minutes before executing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson: new video

The suspected gunman — accused of shooting the executive execution-style on a Midtown street — was seen leaving the subway platform around 6:15 a.m.

nypost.com