NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown. #4

[IDK]

DBM

 

[daybreaking]

Eh? Why would Mossad send an agent to assassinate a major business leader on the territory of Israel's most important ally?

This feels domestic to me.

I agree with you on this being domestic.

I also haven't seen anything at all linking this to Israel beyond several references to the shooter having Mediterranean facial features, and, given the current world situation - it's an especially bad time to spuriously link them to something like this.

 

[Baby baby Jane]

Exactly. And how many buses could leave the station in a short period of time? They must be checking every single one snd the drivers memories . Then off to the new bus destinations for more camera footage.

I know that bus station, enter from street level, go up an escalator and outside upper level there’s slots for 10-15 buses.
Some buses really busy, bundled-up worker types coming & going. It will be busy in morning rush hour.
Buy tickets from machines in wall - but If already purchased a ticket … would go head-down, face covered straight to exterior area to wait to board bus.
IMO this was smart choice - it’s not popular, many wouldn’t automatically think of this depot because it’s so far uptown.

 

[Inthedetails]

YES. Slang for this now is Megabus. They were one company that did it, I think they may now be bankrupt, but it’s like Xerox or like Bausch & Lomb - the brand became the verb: I think this guy Megabussed to either Stewart or PA.

Megabus is not the same as the dollar vans.

The dollar vans are actual vans and they run just as the OP described, back and forth across the bridge. From what I remember, they operate from the street, not the actual bus terminal. They still exist and I do think the dollar van is an option to consider.

Megabus refers to big busses with cheap tickets. They do not operate out of the GBW bus station or nearby streets uptown.

jmo

 

[MelmothTheLost]

I agree with you on this being domestic.

I also haven't seen anything at all linking this to Israel beyond several references to the shooter having Mediterranean facial features, and, given the current world situation - it's an especially bad time to spuriously link them to something like this.

Quite.

 

[Inthedetails]

And the hostel didn't require a CC to keep on file. It was a simple cash transaction with (fake) ID.

Bingo.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

This case truly is the most fascinating I’ve seen in my WS years, and the reason has a lot to do with the fact that I’ve walked that exact spot 500+ times, I work in finance in NYC. Imagine if this case had gone down along your normal commute. That’s where I’m at.

If the shooter had been truly Jason Bourne about it: he had two weeks of prep. Imagine if he had dropped 50 identical backpacks full of randomness all over that area of CP. What this case is hammering home to me is strikingly similar to what 9/11 showed us all: we are all vulnerable. It’s not impossible to trigger a huge social effect. … SCARY

He left GWB PA Bus on a bus, no video of him exiting; … in all likelihood he crossed the GWB on a bus and crossed into Jersey … my table-stakes bet is that he either flew out of Stewart or he hit some megabus and took Route 80 out to Pennsylvania. He got out of here somehow. I am fascinated by this suspect and his unrushed nature; I don’t necessarily see a pro, but a great pro wouldn’t present himself so obviously. If he’s a pro, we are three days later and he’s unknown, so he’s a decent one. And my heart hurts for Thompson’s kids and for his family.

Caradana.... what do you actually mean by this....??
he hit some megabus and
took Route 80 (i get the rt 80)

 

[DS2021]

Good morning everyone. Im hoping today is the day. I thought for sure id wake up to a name

 

[Seattle1]

12/6/24

 

[Inthedetails]

I dearly hope this turns out to be the case, yet I have this gut feeling that NYC was meant to be a character in this thriller movie.

Somewhat like New York City was always said to be the fifth main character in Sex and the City. Midtown murder live! Trans-city escape! The drama wouldn’t measure up if done in Minnesota.

Just my queasy opinion and I’d be delighted to be wrong.

I totally agree. The city is a main character in this assassination. We talk about it more than the victim for a reason. NYC is a big part of this crime and the killer used the city well.

jmo

 

[Trino]

I truly think the fact that it was directly before the Investor's Conference is key. I feel like the killer obviously stalked BT's movements/schedule or paid specific attention to when this particular meeting was going to occur in order to make the travel arrangements for his plan. They both arrived in NYC prior to the day of the meeting. With the planning that took place and IF he had some way of tracking BT's movements either by inside info or surveilling him, then why not make the hit on Monday as he arrived, or Tuesday as he dined? Why on the way to this meeting?

I find myself wondering what exactly was on the agenda for that meeting...was there anything that he may have been going to announce that someone would want to go to great lengths to prevent? Or was it to silence him before any further progress was made in the DOJ investigations? I go back and forth between a few theories:

1. A seriously psychotic and angry member who has solely blamed the CEO for all of their issues with UHC or healthcare companies in general (and trust me some of the providers are just as crazy and threatening in their written and verbal communications to the employees of the health insurance companies and there's one in particular that came to my mind immediately when this happened)
2. A person acting on behalf of the angry investors who sued UHC (Fireman's fund?)
3. Something much deeper involving people MUCH more influential than a person who has only been the CEO of this company for 3 years. The problems of the healthcare industry do not begin or end with BT. He did not create the structure for the way health insurance works. The fact that he and other senior execs sold stock in Feb prior to the DOJ Antitrust investigation going public AND the cyberware/ransomware attack was in February leads me down this type of path because what are the odds all of this happened around the same time? Maybe the cyber attack was less about acquiring members' personal information and was instead more about gaining access to UHC financial data, or communications amongst the execs to use against UHC in order to negotiate larger dollar amounts on the ransom? Maybe that situation was never truly resolved and is still ongoing behind the scenes? What if the "hackers" are involved and UHC didn't play ball according to their rules and they chose to do this to send a message?

I don't feel that if he had been killed while in MN, that it would have created as much SHOCK AND AWE as the way it went down in the middle of NYC. I think the killer is proud of what he did and wants to take credit for this act he perceives as brave and ESPECIALLY after he has undoubtedly scoured the millions of comments out on any social media post you click on hailing him as some kind of hero for all the American people who hate insurance and feel scammed by it.

If it turns out to be a member, I will be extremely curious as to what type of plan they had. Chances are higher than not, that their plan was only being administered by UHC and UHC was not in charge of the coverage but was possibly an employer plan or government plan. In that case, the anger is completely misdirected and he targeted BT for all the wrong reasons.

You can verify this online. In 2019 the UHC denial rate was 8.7%. Thompson came in 2021. In 2022, the denial rate was 22.7%.
UHC used artificial intelligence to increase claims denials for Medicare Advantage beneficiaries between 2019 and 2022, according to Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. UHC would not say if they are still using AI. They most often denied coverage to patients in nursing homes, rehab hospitals and long-term hospitals, the report found. UHC was sued for using AI, which had a 90% failure rate.

Thomson was accused of insider trading by the Justice Department, an ongoing case, although I cannot see this as a reason for his assassination.

 

[Seattle1]

Shocking Details on NYC Exec Murder Suspect, Premeditation, Weapon Analysis & More | Profiling Evil​

12/6/24

 

[BrianJohnson]

Thomson was accused of insider trading by the Justice Department, an ongoing case, although I cannot see this as a reason for his assassination.

I could, very much, others involved in it might get named by him to get himself a lighter penalty, there would be a big reason why his co conspirators would want him silenced

 

[BOBON]

I am still curious how the assassin knew that BT would be leaving the hotel via that exit, either he got lucky, had a tip off from someone in the hotel, or there was another assassin waiting near the front entrance incase he came out of the hotel that way.

Leaning towards the last bit

I agree with you and I am confused about leaving the water bottle and possible cellphone behind at the crime scene, that would indicate that he hung around there for a while waiting. So maybe that means he didn't know when he'd come out. But if he knew about his movements it would definitely be a pointer that he is closer to the victim than we assume. Either he knows someone who is aware of his timetable or he himself was in direct contact with BT. Which would lead to the question how the two might have known each other.

 

[Elley Mae]

The 10 days prior to murder was probably to scope out the area and get a feel for which way to go to make a quick escape, i wonder why he didn’t shoot BT when he left the hotel he was staying in.
Evidently the hilton where the conference was held made escaping easier.

Jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

Maybe because this crime does not feel American? Maybe the shooter is not American, that's why it feels off.

Wow, that does sum it up. While it can be tricky to make generalizations, "American crimes" have the feel of being more boisterous, more impulsive, and less slick and "stylish."

Also, the perp seems very comfortable in the city. Many Americans do not have that same comfort in NYC, tbh.

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

Fox5 NY just showed photos of a brown paper bag that was said to have clothes in it with a police officer guarding it. Might not be related but they appear to be looking into it.

ETA: Added pics from my TV as realised I can rewind!

Is that a TJMaxx bag? FWIW, it sleeted here Thursday morning and was super windy. That paper bag doesn't look like it's been through the elements.

jmo

edited to correct the day of the week. Thursday morning was the sleety morning, not Friday as I mistakenly posted.

 

[nhmemorymaker]

I honestly doubt he sprinkled backpacks around the city--it just doesn't seem super in character for this guy, and we don't have any video evidence of him from prior days sporting different packs (the pack he wore was rare-ish, and buying a bunch of them would be detectable to LE...). But I did consider the notion that he could be depositing them around Gotham like some megavillain out of a Batman comic (The Stoodent strikes again!)...

I do think compared to most, he had so much money. A very expensive weapon, perfect teeth, higher end clothing (his jacket alone cost $695), a $400 backpack... I think he chose his transport and lodging not to save money, but pretty carefully to avoid detection--where he could get away with using undetected fake IDs, pay cash, come and go unencumbered.

But moreover, he comes across as a killer "for the people" with his anti-insurance messaging, and the the hostel/bus/e-bike/train. I honestly think it's a very carefully crafted image, right down to the words on the bullets. No sooner did people hear the words "CEO United Healthcare murdered" than began the jokes...

This may be one of our first "celebrity killer", honestly, if not the first. A blend of reality TV and Robin Hoodism, made possible buy the clear video of the crime transpiring, that is terribly scary because yes, as you say, we are all vulnerable--and not all would be criminals of this ilk will be as precise in hitting only his chosen target.

Celebrity is right. I WANT to be convinced this is not foreign driven... But as soon as we saw the words on the bullits, I gelt it was bigger than a domestic operation. The stoicism, the cockyness, and the complexities just keep telling me ------> foreign. I keep getting twinges of both the subtle and blatent nuances of....Syriana.

 

[no nonsense]

Wow, that does sum it up. While it can be tricky to make generalizations, "American crimes" have the feel of being more boisterous, more impulsive, and less slick and "stylish."

Also, the perp seems very comfortable in the city. Many Americans do not have that same comfort in NYC, tbh.

jmo

The word that comes to mind for me re: NYC is familiar. He seems familiar with the city. He knew entrances/exits to Central Park (it can be confusing) and he knew traffic would be better to go to the GW bus terminal (not one all that known to out of owners) than to port authority. He seems to know the City.

 

[Elley Mae]

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/northeast/exclusive-new-video-shows-ceo-shooting-suspect-enter-central-park/

The exclusive video shows new angles of his escape path, including the suspect riding up 6th Avenue, past 58th Street, before darting across the street and riding right into the darkness of Central Park.

Just 15 minutes later, he’s spotted again leaving Central Park from the west side at 77th Street, without his distinctive backpack. Police say he then turned up on 86th Street, minus his bike, and headed north to the Port Authority Bus Station via taxi.