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

[polywog]

The piece of this I do NOT understand is why in the world was the assassin carrying that loony backpack - that backpack was very noticeable. Does anyone know at what point in time he dumped it? And I read online, but is it true, that they've found the actual gun???? Makes sense he'd stay in that hostel - very discreet, blending in with the people on the streets.

It’s actually a fairly usual urban high end backpack that would not be unusual in NYC. But it’s funny, I noticed it right away and so did one of my friends, and we thought “this shooter has money!”.

 

[getthefax]

The trainers too, these are not Allbirds brand but they are similar, so probably pricey too.

Yeah. Perfect teeth, too. He’s got plenty of money and didn’t seem to care about a dang thing except pulling off this grotesque caper.

 

[Inthedetails]

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

<modsnip: Do not introduce race into a discussion>

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

I'll also add another reason for the attention this case is getting from LE: USA economy. An assassination of the CEO of Fortune 500 company affects the economy.

I agree with the sentiment that every murder victim deserves attention, but the fact is, an "average" murder victim doesn't effect the finances of a huge industry.

We want our economy to be stable, without uncertainty that industry leaders can be killed. This murder NEEDS to be solved and the investigation will get the resources to get the job done.

jmo

 

[Betty P]

More:

Worked photo through NYPD facial recognition. Only checks against mugshots from NY and NJ. If he's not in that file it won't work. They are running it through other databases, but have only gotten vague matches. Nothing of real value.

Hood and angle doesn't make it ideal for that.

NYT quotes an LE source as saying the man is "extremely camera savvy". Apparently, whatever tech they're using for facial recognition, works best with a full, unobstructed face. JMO

They're getting many, many leads from across the US.

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

 

[taylorss]

Long post ahead, and it’s just my ramblings… but wanted to put them down here (for the exercise):

I think it is going to take a minute to find this guy. I think he’s basically a bold serial killer who essentially found his dream “job” in killing someone in a sort of organized terror-ish attack. He looks relaxed, charming… and we watched him behave calmly, smoothly, and without hesitation or any major screw ups. His plan worked.

United Healthcare experienced a ransomware attack in February, 2024, wherein hackers seized United Healthcare servers, and for which the company paid $22million in bitcoin to have released. That money goes into the ether—and it would sure buy a whole lot of pistols.


To my eye, this was a very well planned/organized attack where the shooter was able to identify a lot of loopholes and windows of opportunity and exploit them. He selected a target, probably planned meticulously for weeks or months, arriving in NYC weeks early. He then had to acquire an e-bike, and needed a place to store it, so he chose a hostel… both because he wanted to blend in, but also because he could store that bike he would soon need.

The weapon he used was a very expensive ($5700!) specialty gun used to dispatch sick/wounded animals. I do not believe it’s a coincidence that a weapon for the “sick/wounded animal” was used to kill the United Healthcare CEO — it has the hallmark of a taunt (which we saw echoed in the writing on the bullets).

Here’s a write up on the gun: VP9 Suppressed Pistol from B&T: The Silent Helper – Small Arms Defense Journal

The article above shows a photo (attached) of how the gun breaks down into many component parts (useful for traveling), and that can be tossed into trash, bit by bit over time, undetected and therefore lost forever.

It also describes the handling of the gun, and helped me understand why the shooter’s two handed grip seemed slightly unusual, especially as he cycled the spent casings and extra unspent rounds.

My wild guess is this guy has well-funded backers, is part of a larger anarchist/anticapitalist network that has tentacles overseas expressly so they can commit crimes. I believe he is long gone out of the US.

IMO the killer is very smart, tech savvy, spoiled, and possibly an anarchist/anti capitalist fundamentalist sort (would also tie in with & explain the bus, train, hostel and electric bike mode of transport). He might be vegan. I know—I’ve really gone off here!

I hope I am dead wrong, but this is my feeling about the case and why. It has a bit of a “new world order” kind of feel to it, IMO. A very different crime, and yes, my ideas are indeed very cinematic. But here we are.

Bookmarking this post so I can find it and eat my words in the future.

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

 

[Luna20]

Could be that he was not so skilled. But, if the bullet markings conjecture is correct, I would think he wanted to cause pain and have the chance to be face to face with this guy before he fired the final shot. If the reason for the killing was anger about denials of claims, he might have wanted the guy to know pain and fear. JMHO.

What about shooting him in the leg first? Strategy?

 

[cujenn81]

I'm thinking a lot of people here haven't stayed in a "regular" hotel in Manhattan. $300+ per night gets you a bed that touches the walls and a view of the brick wall!

And two steps to the toilet!

 

[CrimeDawg123]

Seems like he must have picked it up in NY after he arrived there. Many cities have bikes that you can rent to get around.

Wouldn't you need to use a credit card to rent one though?

 

[Charlot123]

Someone who doesn't have the cash to spend on a room only for himself.

But I agree, sharing a dorm room with strangers is just so weird in this situation!

Which of the two situations implies less scrutiny, of documents and otherwise, and fewer cameras:
A busy hostel
Or an AirBnB?

I think he has some money, but everything above one of these two would mean, being exposef to more people.

I personally think the hostel may have fewer cameras. As to people, maybe staff is even trained not to notice much as different people come and go. The reaction of the inhabitants would be predictable. First, perhaps the man is not that noticeable, and second, people who stayed at the hostel don't know his motive and connections, they only know that he is a very good shooter. Would they risk retaliation for BT? He cannot be returned back, and they have to think about themselves. Self-preservation is more than understandable in such a situation.

 

[armchairagatha]

Atlanta airport is one of the biggest and busiest international hubs in the world. Good chance this guy flew into Atlanta before making his way up north.

 

[Betty P]

I'll also add another reason for the attention this case is getting from LE: USA economy. An assassination of the CEO of Fortune 500 company affects the economy.

I agree with the sentiment that every murder victim deserves attention, but the fact is, an "average" murder victim doesn't effect the finances of a huge industry.

We want our economy to be stable, without uncertainty that industry leaders can be killed. This murder NEEDS to be solved and the investigation will get the resources to get the job done.

jmo

JMO, it might affect the stock market, but the stock market isn't the economy. It's mostly a casino of sorts.

The economy should be ok for now. If it has a problem, it won't be because of the shooting. CEO's will just spend more money on security.

 

[kaen]

What about shooting him in the leg first? Strategy?

I think strategy. Pain and humiliation was the purpose. I know of people who saw all of the video who said it seemed like the shooter was not avoidant of being seen by the victim. JMHO.

 

[Laura456]

JMO, it might affect the stock market, but the stock market isn't the economy. It's mostly a casino of sorts.

Wall Street Bets!

 

[otto]

What about shooting him in the leg first? Strategy?

That was my impression - first shot in the back of the lower leg was to disable him long enough for him to realize what is happening. I'm curious whether the shooter said anything before he fired the fatal shot.

 

[getthefax]

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

ETA: this is not the work of Anonymous—I only mention them as an example of international renegade organization

I don’t think a network like, say, Anonymous, assigns itself any particular nation, though… they are an international organization of hackers, right? Yet they identify targets around the world…

I am thinking along the same lines here. This is where they started, because they jacked up the servers in February—it’s almost certain those hackers were not based in the US, yet they found a company worthy of a strike.

In the same way tech used to be the domain of the “nerds”, and is now overrun with tech bros, we also now see a movement of “the resistance” coming up.

I think we may see other attacks on figures elsewhere in the world… all the players have to be from somewhere.

MOO

 

[JDG]

What about shooting him in the leg first? Strategy?

It looked to me as if he shot him in the calf to get him to turn enough for a chest shot.

It would also cause pain but I didn’t get the feeling watching the video, that the assassin was emotional at all. It was just a job and he did it.

 

[getthefax]

Atlanta airport is one of the biggest and busiest international hubs in the world. Good chance this guy flew into Atlanta before making his way up north.

Agree!

 

[taylorss]

That was my impression - first shot in the back of the lower leg was to disable him long enough for him to realize what is happening. I'm curious whether the shooter said anything before he fired the fatal shot.

Hmm my impression was he swung the gun up over his head when going to point it & so wound up with it angled low ....

 

[otto]

It looked to me as if he shot him in the calf to get him to turn enough for a chest shot.

It would also cause pain but I didn’t get the feeling watching the video, that the assassin was emotional at all. It was just a job and he did it.

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.

 

[Kori17]

ETA: this is not the work of Anonymous—I only mention them as an example of international renegade organization

I don’t think a network like, say, Anonymous, assigns itself any particular nation, though… they are an international organization of hackers, right? Yet they identify targets around the world…

I am thinking along the same lines here. This is where they started, because they jacked up the servers in February—it’s almost certain those hackers were not based in the US, yet they found a company worthy of a strike.

In the same way tech used to be fke the nerds, and is now overrun with tech bros, we also now see a movement of “the resistance” coming up.

I think we may see other attacks on figures elsewhere in the world… all the players have to be from somewhere.

MOO

Very disarming thought and unfortunately you are probably correct