NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown. #3

[VivianV]

Regarding the Hostel ID questions - I've traveled through dozens of hostels worldwide. If you're not from the country where you're checking in, you need to show your passport(sometimes they keep it until you check out). But, if you reside in that country you can just show your local ID. For instance, an Italian from Milan can show local ID at a hostel in Rome. In this case I read that the killer showed a (fake) New Jersey DL and paid cash. A New York hostel would not require an American to show a passport. So the woman that checked him in, and reportedly flirted asking him to remove the mask, thought the NJ DL was valid identification. She believed he was an American from NJ.

That woman needs to reevaluate her taste in men.

I'll go along with the, frankly insane, theory that he shot a guy in public, then unlocked a bike, then unzipped his backpack, got out a battery, put on the battery and left the scene. Now explain to me how he emerged from the F station when there is no F train from the UWS.

Maybe he left his ebike in the alley - and it WAS stolen, then he started towards CP on foot and found a different one to steal?

 

[Bridger]

I am a little perplexed by all the interest in the Atlanta airport. You know, NY has three really busy airports as well so I see little point in flying into Atlanta, then taking a greyhound to NY—lots more chances to be caught on camera. And, FYIW, a masked young person will stand out a lot more in the south than in the NY area.

Anyway, I think the simplest explanation is probably the best—he’s a southerner! A southerner with some money, but without limitless assets. That he took the greyhound tells me that he’s gotten around this way in the past and for some reason (probably because he was carrying a firearm) didn’t want to risk a flight. I hope LE is looking closely at any video from all the stops along the train route.

 

[alsleuther]

actually, it was widely reported in NY that they raided an apartment in the Douglas complex. So, the prep DID pick up the battery from there.

Wasn't he kind of leaving things until the very last minute if picking up a battery needed for the after shooting getaway plan? You wouldn't rely on a Craigslist meetup for this important piece of the puzzle. Do you think he knew the person he was picking up the battery from? Why wouldn't you secure this the night before? And test it to make sure it worked?

 

[GRT]

If he wanted to send a message, he couldn’t have picked a better place and way to do it.

That’s why I think that’s the motive, as opposed to some personal grudge or hired hit or something.

This is something straight out of a movie, as assassination type killings just don’t happen with any regularity. They certainly don’t happen on camera, using a suppressed weapon.

They also don’t include bullet casings with cryptic words written on them.

As much as it’s captured the public’s imagination in that regard, it’s also been successful in putting a discussion of the health insurance industry at the forefront.

I don’t think that’s a coincidence.

This!

I think you're right! Everything points toward sending a message. You're also right that this type of killing is more suited to movies than ordinary life.

It makes me wonder if we'll see more "messages" from a small group similar to the way the SLA and Weather Underground used to operate decades ago.

 

[Sunshynn]

Real people are rooting for a killer or bots are flooding social media with support for a killer?

jmo

TONS of people are rooting for the killer.

I've seen so many memes being shared and if someone posts that they have sympathy for BT or BT's family they are literally roasted alive in the comments.
It's odd how detached from emotion people are about this killing.

 

[armchairagatha]

I am a little perplexed by all the interest in the Atlanta airport. You know, NY has three really busy airports as well so I see little point in flying into Atlanta, then taking a greyhound to NY—lots more chances to be caught on camera. And, FYIW, a masked young person will stand out a lot more in the south than in the NY area.

Anyway, I think the simplest explanation is probably the best—he’s a southerner! A southerner with some money, but without limitless assets. That he took the greyhound tells me that he’s gotten around this way in the past and for some reason (probably because he was carrying a firearm) didn’t want to risk a flight. I hope LE is looking closely at any video from all the stops along the train route.

If he is a southerner from the greater Atlanta area why has he not been identified so far? If there is no identification by Monday (assuming LE is already following up on leads), I am going to say he was either wearing a flesh/silicone mask or has no roots in the USA (foreign assassin). We will know soon enough. Hope I am wrong and the perp is captured over the weekend.

 

[Curiousobserver]

TONS of people are rooting for the killer.

I've seen so many memes being shared and if someone posts that they have sympathy for the BT or BT's family they are literally roasted alive in the comments.
It's odd how detached from emotion people are about this killing.

I agree- I have yet to meet someone who is not at least somewhat sympathetic and I would say at least half are staunchly supporting. And I will add most of the people I interact with are medical professionals. UNH is a big carrier where I live.

I would not discount that many of these people would look the other way if he was in line at Starbucks with them.

 

[Charlot123]

Another consideration why Atlanta: it is a health hub, to think of it. Emory hospital or something like it if we think he may have a chronic medical problem.

(But if it is so, if the young man has a chronic medical problem, is living on borrowed time and UH did not cover potentially life-saving care, I won’t lose my sleep if he is never caught.)

 

[Inthedetails]

If he is a southerner from the greater Atlanta area why has he not been identified so far? If there is no identification by Monday (assuming LE is already following up on leads), I am going to say he was either wearing a flesh/silicone mask or has no roots in the USA (foreign assassin). We will know soon enough. Hope I am wrong and the perp is captured over the weekend.

Personally, I think a southern accent would stand out more in the city than a foreign accent. I wish we could hear from a witness about his voice! FWIW, I don't think he's from the south, even if he arrived in the city "from the south."

jmopinion

 

[armchairagatha]

If it is truly a WW2 gun, that would eliminate the theory of an int’l killer. I can’t think of a way you could travel overseas with a weapon like that.

There are plenty of old Russian ex-spies living in the US he could have obtained it from in a manner that is untraceable. IMO

 

[CrimeDawg123]

I am sad and disappointed to hear this, and I have a hunch that is the intended reaction - to root for vigilantes and turn upside down our respect for laws - and people are walking right into it.

my opinion

jmo

I hope these people aren't seriously rooting for a murderer. We are inclined to root for the little guy, the misunderstood guy, the disenfranchised, the antihero - I hope that is what they are expressing rather than actual malice.

 

[MrsWatson]

This guy has a manifesto stashed somewhere.

MOO

 

[citizen_sleuth]

"Search continues for gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO in New York," Washington Post, 5 December 2024.
<snipped & BBM>
Police are trying to confirm whether the attacker is a person seen on surveillance footage at the HI New York City Hostel on Amsterdam Avenue, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe an ongoing investigation. The hostel is located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

[...]

For most of the past week, this man said, one of his roommates on the fourth floor was a man who closely resembled the person in the hostel footage that police had released.

The man spoke to The Post on the condition of anonymity to protect his privacy and safety. He said his roommate never gave his name and shared very little information. He often wore a blue medical mask and a dark-colored, hooded sweatshirt, the man said in a text message, adding: “He had a good sense of just enough incognito without being TOO suspicious.”

 

[Bridger]

Wasn't he kind of leaving things until the very last minute if picking up a battery needed for the after shooting getaway plan? You wouldn't rely on a Craigslist meetup for this important piece of the puzzle. Do you think he knew the person he was picking up the battery from? Why wouldn't you secure this the night before? And test it to make sure it worked?

Good thought. And more evidence that this shooting was poorly planned.

 

[Inthedetails]

This guy has a manifesto stashed somewhere.

MOO

This killing wasn't his personal grievance, imo, and there won't be a manifesto unless some group releases one.

But I'm thinking that won't happen because everything so far has been sleek, sort of stylish, mysterious, fascinating to consume...and manifestos require reading. Sorry to sound cynical.

jmopinion at the moment

 

[na19]

Anyone else shocked that no one has come forward yet with an identification of this guy? He has to work somewhere, have friends, acquaintances, people he deals with on a fairly regular basis...

He was in NYC on thanksgiving. If he is American, he missed thanksgiving dinner with his family? Again if he is American, Someone was missing their spouse, son, brother, etc at the table…wonder what excuse he gave to miss out.

 

[Curiousobserver]

This killing wasn't his personal grievance, imo, and there won't be a manifesto unless some group releases one.

But I'm thinking that won't happen because everything so far has been sleek, sort of stylish, mysterious, fascinating to consume...and manifestos require reading. Sorry to sound cynical.

jmopinion at the moment

I don't think a manifesto is needed- the internet has created one already.

Almost everyone has had a claim denied and almost everybody has first hand or second hand knowledge where the denial was life-altering.

The motive and the intended message seem to not be in question.

 

[Sunshynn]

I agree- I have yet to meet someone who is not at least somewhat sympathetic and I would say at least half are staunchly supporting. And I will add most of the people I interact with are medical professionals. UNH is a big carrier where I live.

I would not discount that many of these people would look the other way if he was in line at Starbucks with them.

Oh, I get the vitriol when it comes to Health Insurance and outrage at companies being able to make life or death decisions for people -overriding medically trained doctors in most cases - while using an AI algorithm that has a 90% fail rate.

I also get that BT was, for all intents and purposes, the face of UHC.

I further get that there is several others who also play parts in for profit health insurance right up to politicians who standardize insurance practices and allow this stuff to happen.

It's the same mentality that went on when the Titan Submersible imploded with all the millionaires inside it.

Eat the rich and all that.

I do not get the lack of humanity for a fellow human who was murdered and lack of empathy for someone who was not only murdered in the streets of NY but also left a family behind.

BT doesn't see the hate and lack of humanity - his family and children do.

 

[Jamara3]

There are plenty of old Russian ex-spies living in the US he could have obtained it from in a manner that is untraceable.

Not sure how much it can mean, but something the Atlanta area and UHG have in common is being recent victims of major cyberattacks from groups tied to Russia.

In February 2024, UHG’s subsidiary, Change Healthcare, suffered a ransomware attack by the ALPHV/BlackCat group, believed to operate from Russia. This breach compromised sensitive data of over 100 million individuals, marking it as one of the largest healthcare data breaches in U.S. history. UHG reportedly paid a $22 million ransom to the attackers.

In March 2018, Atlanta’s municipal government was hit by the SamSam ransomware, which encrypted a significant portion of the city’s data. The attackers demanded a ransom of approximately $51,000 in Bitcoin.
In January 2024, Fulton County, Georgia, experienced a significant cyberattack attributed to the LockBit ransomware group.

Subsequent investigations revealed that LockBit operates as a ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model, with its developers and affiliates primarily based in Russia. In May 2024, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted Dmitry Yuryevich Khoroshev, a Russian national alleged to be a leader of the LockBit group.

And to add some points to the timeline above, the DoJ’s investigation into UHC was initiated in October 2023. Thompson’s insider trading allegations stem from sales on February 16, 2024.

Some other things to add, UHG/UHC seems to have significant presence in the Atlanta area with multiple offices and city wide partnerships.

 

[fashionella]

<modsnip - quoted post was removed>

Suspect charged in UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's murder. Here's what we know.

A man arrested on firearms charges in Pennsylvania was later charged in New York with murder in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

www.cbsnews.com