NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown.

[jimg77]

Looks like a white Peak Design Everyday 20L. It opens from the sides for quick access as it's made for cameras. IMO

And they sell it at B&H right in NYC

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1515236-REG/peak_design_bedb_20_as_2_everyday_backpack_20l_v2.html

 

[Deleted member 349831]

Dbm

 

[armchairagatha]

It could be a young person’s parent or grandparent, or a sibling, if this is really about medical coverage denied to a customer.

Just guessing because I also think he appears to be in his 20s.

Or perhaps he had a child who wasn’t covered…. I was a mother at 24.

ETA: @Elley Mae I just saw your post above…I agree.

It is quite possible that he received threats and letters saying something about disgruntled insurers. If they don’t catch the shooter soon, I would think that those letters were meant to take LE down the wrong path. A disgruntled lone shooter will be caught soon.

 

[Jcm2293]

While anything is possible, I feel that this scenario is unlikely.

Sunrise in NYC was at 7:04 AM.

Cameras would catch him entering Central Park, dressed as you say.

Where is it that he pulls off a fake nose, attaches a beard, and changes clothes? And switches backpacks? There is always someone in Central Park, as well as security. Someone could spot him doing that in public.

He would have to go into a restroom to do this switch, and NYPD would notice on camera that a man of the same height dressed in the assassin’s clothing walked into a restroom but someone “else” walked out.

NYPD is really a very good police force, having seen everything and having strong institutional knowledge. Someone in LE will be able to identify him as the culprit just by his walk.
Then the subway system itself is practically one enormous camera.

IMO

Def not saying it’s the most likely. But Central Park is massive. I have certainly been able to get out of sight there. Not in the big glades but there are bushy / hilly areas where it would be very easy to get out of sight. Especially at 7 in the winter

 

[sds71]

Lyft is now saying that NYPD told them that a Citi Bike was not used in the incident.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1864447038097695130

 

[Columbo Was The Best]

I can't find the posts referring to this now but regarding that post of someone asking why not a shot to the head and another post stating they think the leg shot was a mistake.
Watching the video and the way he positioned himself, I interpret this as 1/that leg (calf, precisely) shot was definitely intentional 2/not a shot to the head because he wanted the victim to have those seconds to realise he was going to die.
There is an enormous amount of hatred in whoever ordered this hit or in the killer if he decided that for himself.

 

[Inthedetails]

And they sell it at B&H right in NYC

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1515236-REG/peak_design_bedb_20_as_2_everyday_backpack_20l_v2.html

Good find. I wonder if he bought the backpack in person! You know there are cameras of the store floor and check-out counter at a....camera shop!

jmo

 

[Hdmsmbdbdbdmdkks]

I

 

[airportwoman]

United Health Care has always been one of the worst "insurers", behind Kaiser Permanente. That said, two wrongs don't make a right.

 

[afelt]

this article claims there was a silencer on the gun...but still yeah, with cameras everywhere it really was brazen

https://www.morningstar.com/news/marketwatch/20241204264/unitedhealthcare-executive-brian-thompson-shot-and-killed-in-new-york-city-according-to-reports

Why didn't he cover his hands?

 

[PrairieWind]

The actions of the killer, cold, calm and the fact he seems to take a call ahead of time, tells me this shooter was acting on someone else's direction. He is just the trigger man.

 

[Inthedetails]

I am noticing some new people to Websleuths. Welcome! Join in the brainstorming with us.

jmo

 

[afelt]

The backpack is unusual to me.

And not very camouflage

 

[Inthedetails]

The actions of the killer, cold, calm and the fact he seems to take a call ahead of time, tells me this shooter was acting on someone else's direction. He is just the trigger man.

I am thinking someone was telling him the suspect is on the way during that phone call. imo

jmo

 

[Inthedetails]

And not very camouflage

I think the side zipper was the selling point - easy access to the weapon.

jmo

 

[acehard]

Good find. I wonder if he bought the backpack in person! You know there are cameras of the store floor and check-out counter at a....camera shop!

jmo

Many people buy them online on sale. They're quite popular. MOO

 

[LinasK]

United Health Care has always been one of the worst "insurers", behind Kaiser Permanente. That said, two wrongs don't make a right.

I don't agree. I was very pleased with the coverage we had in the past. Nonetheless, bad health insurance shouldn't be a reason to go kill the CEO. On Kaiser, I agree with you though, I'd never have Kaiser if I have the choice. Many horror stories of their care.

 

[Inthedetails]

Many people buy them online on sale. They're quite popular. MOO

I understand. Everything is available online. But I hope he bought his in person at B&H!

jmo

 

[Warwick1991]

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.

Shots to the head are extremely difficult, and police training, for example, often emphasizes 3 shots to the chest as having a greater possibility of a successful immobilization of the target. Some of the descriptions of the incident in this thread also say that the victim turned to face the shooter after he was shot in the leg, and then was apparently shot frontally. More details will emerge, I think. Lack of a shot to the head does not mean a non-professional assassin.

One thing that is of interest is the pistol jamming. The shooter is knowledgeable enough to recover from the pistol jam and complete the murder. The unused rounds ejected and left on the sidewalk indicate some difficulty, and perhaps a lack of experience with the pistol he used. However, if the shooter was familiar with the combination of this particular pistol, silencer and ammunition, a jam shouldn't have occurred. Possibly, he hadn't tested the ammunition or the pistol. Another possibility is that the murder weapon was left for the shooter for retrieval somewhere, and that the weapon wasn't his.

 

[ElizaKate]

I can't find the posts referring to this now but regarding that post of someone asking why not a shot to the head and another post stating they think the leg shot was a mistake.
Watching the video and the way he positioned himself, I interpret this as 1/that leg (calf, precisely) shot was definitely intentional 2/not a shot to the head because he wanted the victim to have those seconds to realise he was going to die.
There is an enormous amount of hatred in whoever ordered this hit or in the killer if he decided that for himself.

Yeah, if professional, I think the shot to the leg was intentional to disable him. But then just shooting in the back seems unlikely for a professional. Especially as he walks up to him whilst he's on the ground. Unless he run out of bullets given those lost during the jamming (I don't know anything about guns/how many bullets would be in one like he used!).