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

[fsngruv]

Thank you for sharing. That "contest" is reprehensible. It baffles me how proud some people are of their lack of empathy and humanity.

I wonder if it was more of an impromptu realization, and less of a contest. I'm sure if you walk around NYC right now nearly everyone looks similar, jacket, hood, Gator/scarf, bookbag... But at the same time it is NYC and they are delightfully crass.

 

[rainbowshummingbird]

This assumes he was a US citizen. He could have very well used his real Russian or Eastern European passport or a fake one. Everyone is looking at this with a very US centric lens. Think global. There are many places in the world where it is possible to obtain a fake passport if needed. Not easy but doable.

I agree. He could have one American parent and one foreign parent, anything is possible. I work for an American company that is global and many of my coworkers have multiple passports. He could be who knows where by now.

 

[Herat]

United Healthcare IS the largest insurer in the world.
It is the ONLY insurer for AARP, and its constituents.
United Healthcare has been under tremendous legal scrutiny, including Brian Thompson, himself.

I think all this uniqueness is the perfect choice for such an act.

AARP started off as a business selling insurance to seniors and has very cleverly used their publications and advocacy position to make them a major force in marketing senior healthcare. They are still a business selling insurance to seniors, as well as life-insurance, funeral expenses, whatever.

There is nothing magical about AARP other than it's profits.

However, there are many other Medicare Advantage plans through other major healthcare insurers for seniors: Humana, Aetna, Kaiser, and others. In my area, hospitals have senior care supplement programs, but the underlying carrier is one of the major groups already mentioned.

 

[gemini614]

It's possible his family doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving, or he doesn't have a family to celebrate with/is estranged.

Or he could be a lone wolf type guy?
But that quasi flirtatious smile( he wasn't seeing flirtatious to me IMO) suggests he has some sort of charisma...or.. hubris

 

[Arkay]

Will Airbnb return to NYC? Bill would allow short-term rentals for 1- and 2-family homes.

City Council legislation would let some homeowners turn their units into short-term rentals without requiring them to be present for guest stays.

gothamist.com

Air B&B is not allowed here in NYC for short term rentals.
It was commonly done, but a few years ago the law changed to no stays shorter than 30 days.

This article discusses changes that may happen if someone owns a private home, but not for people like me.

I live in a co-op in a complex of seven buildings, each 23 stories high. Our management would not allow anything but subletting for a year at minimum.

The citywide rule against short-term Air B&B rentals has of course eliminated tens of thousands of places to stay for those visiting NYC.

That leaves hotels, where security is tight, or hostels, which are much more laid back.

I would guess that those of you who utilized NYC hostels prior to 9/11 and didn’t have to show ID would have to show something now.

Clearly there is fakery as we see here, though.

JME

 

[TheUnderlyingCause]

A degree of insider info would be needed to know where BT was staying the night prior to the corporate meeting. Also, how did the shooter know BT would arrive at the Hilton more than an hour prior to the 8 AM start? NYC is a very busy and crowded place even at 7 AM, yet the shooter recognized and picked out BT at a peculiarly well-timed moment. He (?she) must have known him better than most. So I am leaning toward disgruntled former [employee, girlfriend, girlfriend's husband, screwed-over business associate, etc].

And how would he know BT would head to the Hilton side entrance? As I understand it, there are two entrances to the hotel, each about equal walking distance from BT's hotel. Just a lucky guess? Unlikely. Too much planning went into it for that.

 

[acehard]

Interesting. We have never stayed at an AirBnB.

JMO.

Yeah they're run like mini hotels without a frontdesk. On the day of arrival they text you the building code and room code which are only active for the days you booked. If you need something, you can call and someone will come to your room, but there's no one on site. It's not like you're sharing a room in someones house. Everything is monitored via cameras. There are common roooms and kitchens if you want to use. A lot of small hotels started doing the same thing, especially since covid and to cut costs.

 

[Herat]

I do this all the time when I travel. With triple citizenship (one being EU) I use the passport that gets me into the country fastest, and to avoid the long "foreigners line". So quick and no questions asked about why I'm visiting or where I live.

You know that's technically illegal in the US?

You should always be departing and re-entering the US on your US passport.

 

[krikken]

A pre employment screening before an official job offer is what I can only think of.

Growing up in the States in the 70s and 80s, I was definitely fingerprinted along with I suppose most of the rest of my class at about age 8-9 (?) at some school function. Some police-PTA project i think, probably crime prevention/safety, due to the rise in awareness about missing children. My daughter who did a semester at an American high school for 9th grade fairly recently says she was fingerprinted one day (not for registration, or bc of trouble with the law and not just for fun like in a class project) - but unfortunately neither of us is sure now what the context was.

 

[soap mama]

ok.. thanks for this. It's helpful.

everything seems so incognito....

a fingerprint, but too smudged.
a phone,, but no access.
on a bus from Atlanta...but no idea idea where he got on.
on a bus out of GWB, but no idea where he went.
A name. Now, probably not.
Backpack. Nothing to report. yet.
A bike. No idea where.

Omg BEST summary! And here we are, 4 threads later!

 

[eddie_van]

If this has been posted, sorry to duplicate.The gun has been identified as a WWII weapon.
Investigators believe the gunman used a rare, integrally suppressed pistol, possibly a Brügger & Thomet Station Six, a modern reproduction of the British Welrod—a silenced pistol designed for covert operations during World War II. It is used today as a veterinary weapon. Further, it may have been purchased in Connecticut. Kinda strange if he somehow took an Atlanta bus.
Could it be he was paid not by a foreign government or terroristic group but by an American?

the Connecticut gun purchase lead was deemed unrelated

 

[whitelilac]

You know that's technically illegal in the US?

You should always be departing and re-entering the US on your US passport.

I do, but when I enter the foreign country I show that passport. I carry both.

 

[Jinkasaurus]

United Healthcare IS the largest insurer in the world.
It is the ONLY insurer for AARP, and its constituents.
United Healthcare has been under tremendous legal scrutiny, including Brian Thompson, himself.

I think all this uniqueness is the perfect choice for such an act.

But why BT out of all the UHC executives? I don't think he is the only one involved in the legal problems. What is unique about him specifically? That is what will come into the motive - why BT out of all other healthcare, UHC, corporate executives.

 

[SlimPickens]

For what?

Reportedly under federal investigation for insider trading.

 

[eddie_van]

But why BT out of all the UHC executives? I don't think he is the only one involved in the legal problems. What is unique about him specifically? That is what will come into the motive - why BT out of all other healthcare, UHC, corporate executives.

he's the CEO. to most americans, CEO = king of the company

 

[MesquiteO21]

Did anyone actually see him sleep there?

He roomed with two other men who described his behavior at meals so I would assume he did? Or at least LE knows the answer to that
Jmo

 

[Synergizer Bunny]

Sick people don't often have the resources and wear withal to pursue a fighting a corporate entity.

I have to believe there are plenty of lawyers who would love to take up these cases. They are paid only if they win the case.

BTW - I am one of the apparent few who feels that BT's job really has nothing to do with his murder.

JMO.

 

[eddie_van]

BTW - I am one of the apparent few who feels that BT's job really has nothing to do with his murder.

there is zero reason to think that, though.
all evidence points to his job being very related.

 

[CityKid]

Props for posting this. I just got back from my first NYC trip and ventured through Central Park briefly to see Strawberry Fields (entered Central Park West). Fascinating to have been there recently and know where he went in proximity to where I was. I spent a lot of time on W 6th. This city is so compact, but even short distances take some time to get too...

Sixth Avenue? (There's no W 6th in Manhattan.)

 

[SlimPickens]

If there is a gap in the days he was at the hostel, that could imply that someone he knows flew in and got a room for him/them, or already lived in the area and let him stay there.

JMO