It has been reported in one of the articles above that the CEO was walking alone to his meeting, without his executive security. So if there were threats against him, given what his wife stated, then I don't think he was too worried about them.
NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown.
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Agree. I was thinking late 20s on the very outside. And I also agree; this was sending a message.
I feel like we've fallen into another John Grisham novel here. An update of Rainmaker?
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NYPD detectives are working with the U.S. Marshals Service to try and track down the shooter and with the FBI, which has the most sophisticated technology for retrieving usable data from cell phones, sources said.
The working theory among detectives right now is that the shooting was carried out by someone who is not a professional killer because too many "mistakes" were made, sources said. Hitmen typically don't carry cell phones to their hits and the shots were fired from a distance that would be considered "too far" away from the victim, the sources said.
6abc.com
The working theory among detectives right now is that the shooting was carried out by someone who is not a professional killer because too many "mistakes" were made, sources said. Hitmen typically don't carry cell phones to their hits and the shots were fired from a distance that would be considered "too far" away from the victim, the sources said.
Who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson? What we know about the suspect on the run
The masked gunman appeared to be lying in wait outside the Hilton hotel in what police said was a "premeditated" attack.
Not saying this is what happened, but here’s how:
Nose was prosthetic and wearing contacts. Wanted cameras to see cleanshaven. Goes to park, pulls of nose and attaches beard. Changes clothes. Has another bag in backpack, puts old backpack and clothes in new backpack. Waits out of line of site of cameras until Central Park is crowded—which is frequent in December. Walks out, boards subway.
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Even without security it is somewhat unusual that his immediate staff, at least some of them, wouldn’t be around. I have never seen our CEO alone when traveling.
armchairagatha
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I don’t think someone holding a grudge for being passed over for a promotion would wait 3 years to order a hit. Because it was definitely not the young killer who was passed over. The killer is in his 20s by the looks of it. I am sure Thompson made many enemies during his ascent to CEO though and one of them had him bumped off for some reason (not promotion though).
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I'm on the fence presently regarding if it was a hit or not.
But my impression is that a twenty some year old wouldn't have the steeliness to carry out this shooting in the way it was, even checking on the victim before running across the street. My feeling is this person is in his 40s or so, which is also my impression from the photo I tried to enhance.
Could be wrong of course.
armchairagatha
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Nah, many snipers are young and have nerves of steel.
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IMO this was well-planned, if not professional, hit. For context, I live in Manhattan and am very familiar with the areas the gunman is known/suspected to have visited. Several observations:
1. He appears to be wearing gloves in the surveillance footage of the murder. He was not wearing gloves while in Starbucks or when walking down the street which, to me, suggests he wanted to attract as little attention as possible leading up the attack. The type of face-mask he is seen wearing is very common among delivery drivers (plus it was very cold this AM) so that wouldn't stand out, but IMO he was cognizant of the fact that wearing gloves inside or while walking down the street would might pose more of a risk than any potential DNA he could leave behind (which also leads me to believe his DNA is not in CODIS).
2. He decided to get on a Citi Bike and ride through the park to the Upper East Side. According to the NY Post, the gunman got on the Citi Bike at 55th and 6th. The murder occurred at 6:44am and the gunman was reportedly riding up Center Drive in Central Park at 6:48am -- that is a very narrow timeframe considering he didn't head straight up 6th Avenue after the murder and instead looped around using the alley, getting on the Citi Bike at 55th and 6th. To my knowledge, there is not a Citi Bike station at 55th and 6th (unless one has been added in the past month or so, as that was the last time I was there), so he must have either a) stolen someone else's bike (people tend to lean bikes against the scaffolding on the sidewalk at 55th and 6th) or b) he rented the bike in advance and left it there, knowing the route he would be taking. IMO going thru the park was an attempt to minimize the number of times he was tracked by security/traffic cams before he reached his destination, since there are no traffic cams along Center Drive (I don't believe there are any NYPD cameras on Center Drive, either).
3. He presumably got off the Citi Bike at 82nd and Madison Ave. Although there are a few bus stops close to the Citi Bike station, the nearest subway stop is the 4/5/6 at 86th & Lexington Avenue, although IMO it is highly unlikely he would get on the bus/subway. IMO he either had someone waiting for him in a car near the 82nd & Madison Citi Bike station or had his own car/rental car parked nearby.
1. He appears to be wearing gloves in the surveillance footage of the murder. He was not wearing gloves while in Starbucks or when walking down the street which, to me, suggests he wanted to attract as little attention as possible leading up the attack. The type of face-mask he is seen wearing is very common among delivery drivers (plus it was very cold this AM) so that wouldn't stand out, but IMO he was cognizant of the fact that wearing gloves inside or while walking down the street would might pose more of a risk than any potential DNA he could leave behind (which also leads me to believe his DNA is not in CODIS).
2. He decided to get on a Citi Bike and ride through the park to the Upper East Side. According to the NY Post, the gunman got on the Citi Bike at 55th and 6th. The murder occurred at 6:44am and the gunman was reportedly riding up Center Drive in Central Park at 6:48am -- that is a very narrow timeframe considering he didn't head straight up 6th Avenue after the murder and instead looped around using the alley, getting on the Citi Bike at 55th and 6th. To my knowledge, there is not a Citi Bike station at 55th and 6th (unless one has been added in the past month or so, as that was the last time I was there), so he must have either a) stolen someone else's bike (people tend to lean bikes against the scaffolding on the sidewalk at 55th and 6th) or b) he rented the bike in advance and left it there, knowing the route he would be taking. IMO going thru the park was an attempt to minimize the number of times he was tracked by security/traffic cams before he reached his destination, since there are no traffic cams along Center Drive (I don't believe there are any NYPD cameras on Center Drive, either).
3. He presumably got off the Citi Bike at 82nd and Madison Ave. Although there are a few bus stops close to the Citi Bike station, the nearest subway stop is the 4/5/6 at 86th & Lexington Avenue, although IMO it is highly unlikely he would get on the bus/subway. IMO he either had someone waiting for him in a car near the 82nd & Madison Citi Bike station or had his own car/rental car parked nearby.
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"A source with knowledge of the investigation into the fatal shooting of Brian Thompson said that there were concerning threats against UnitedHealth Group. The source said the company was aware of these threats.
Thompson’s name was not specifically mentioned, but the threats did talk about going after high-level executives at the company."
Thompson’s name was not specifically mentioned, but the threats did talk about going after high-level executives at the company."
New photos released as police hunt killer
The NYPD says the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan was "a premediated, targeted attack".
www.bbc.co.uk
"one of the photos shows enough of the man's face to run it through facial recognition....The suspect's mask is pulled down far enough that his eyes and part of his nose, which the source described as "prominent", can be seen. Investigators are using computer software to try and find a facial match."
Bullet casings and live rounds being DNA tested in case gloves were not used when loading the gun.
armchairagatha
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Prominent nose and he leaves it out of the mask to be caught on camera? Either the guy is completely unaware of surveillance cameras or he was wearing a prosthetic nose.New photos released as police hunt killer
The NYPD says the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan was "a premediated, targeted attack".
"one of the photos shows enough of the man's face to run it through facial recognition....The suspect's mask is pulled down far enough that his eyes and part of his nose, which the source described as "prominent", can be seen. Investigators are using computer software to try and find a facial match."
Bullet casings and live rounds being DNA tested in case gloves were not used when loading the gun.
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My current thoughts.
I am leaning away from professional hitman. I am not sure where that leaves me at the moment.
I do believe this was planned and not a pure impulse or random killing.
Someone previously stated this (please let me know if it was you) that well planned is different than well executed. That is a very good observation.
The reasons I am leaning away from a professional hitman:
I am leaning away from professional hitman. I am not sure where that leaves me at the moment.
I do believe this was planned and not a pure impulse or random killing.
Someone previously stated this (please let me know if it was you) that well planned is different than well executed. That is a very good observation.
The reasons I am leaning away from a professional hitman:
- Going to public place (Starbucks) in the vicinity of the killing.
- Not wearing gloves. Not in Starbucks. Not in street video minutes before the killing.
- Returning to same street just a few blocks from the killing for escape.
- He seemed to be young for a professional. Of course, everyone seems young the older I get.
- Confident with shooting handgun but not precisely accurate.
- Where did he obtain that experience? Gun club in NYC? (Someone likely could recognize him.) Outside NYC in a more rural area? (Plenty of areas to shoot by yourself).
- Why not wearing gloves?
- Not in any LE database?
- Careful enough to put coffee cup in backpack?
- Likely prints on the casings and the live rounds left behind.
- Starbucks is north of the shooting and he escaped north.
- Had car parked near Central Park?
- Used subway near Central Park?
- The backpack
- Not the usual NYC black
- If it has not been found, did he have a slightly larger black backpack to conceal in Central Park?
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Yes, I never leave disappointed like some shows because they always solve it!
Not wearing gloves in those two spots doesn’t mean he loaded the gun bare handed — that the bullets would have fingerprints seems unlikely.
I'm in agreement with the prosthetics theory. He's planned to change the way he looks both before and after. Absolutely no way he didn't know he was going to be caught on many security camera's whilst carrying this out.
The only thing that makes me query a professional is why not a shot to the head? Surely just shooting in the leg and back leaves too much possibility of survival. Unless this is yet to be reported of course.
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When I saw the video, I had the same exact thought. Especially they were holding a cup of coffee. My thought was an unwitting accomplice--didn't realize the guy was going to start shooting.
What we know about Luigi Mangione, Ivy League grad charged in CEO's murder
Luigi Mangione has been charged with second-degree murder in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Detectives do not think he is a professional either.
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