NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown.

[Tippy Lynn]

How do you leave a message on a bullet casing?

Possibly BT or UHC initials.

 

[Luna20]

if we are playing the odds it’s way more likely this was a personal issue than a revenge killing by or on behalf of a random disgruntled UHC policyholder or investor. I find the hacking thing really interesting but the idea that an international cyber gang did it seems even more remote.

So now I’m coming back to his personal life. In hindsight the wife’s NBC interview was weird. First of all, how was she composed enough to even do it so soon after the murder? Second, if you watched it, didn’t it seem strange that she jumped right to a possible explanation (previous threats based on insurance coverage denial)? Now we find out there may be a divorce situation happening behind the scenes? Very much worth looking into. MOO.

It was odd to me also. How could her mind be on anything else? Conversations with a spouse of the victim just hours after the fatality are usually not discussed publicly. Did she push that info to be shared or was NBC being pushy?

 

[citizen_sleuth]

Timeline
Specific time unknown: Gunman is seen on surveillance video on the Upper West Side carrying what appears to be a battery for an electric bike

6:17am: Gunman purchases a water bottle and two power bars at the Starbucks at 56th Street and 6th Avenue

6:39am: Gunman arrives on foot outside one of the side entrances on 54th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues

6:44am: Thompson is shot on 54th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, outside one of the side entrances to the Hilton

6:46am: Police respond to a 911 call reporting that someone had been shot in front of the Hilton located on 6th Avenue between 53rd and 54th streets.

6:48am: Officers arrive on scene outside Hilton

6:48am: Gunman is seen riding a bike on Center Drive in Central Park

7:12am: Thompson is pronounced dead at Mount Sinai West, 58th Street and 10th Avenue

 

[whitelilac]

I'm not sure... I've noticed that military services sometimes write messages on missiles that are about to be launched. But a case is rather small.

I watched a movie last night (The silencing) where the killer engraved his spearheads with initials to avenge the killing of the person who had these initials.

Did this guy watch that movie?

 

[Tippy Lynn]

But I'm not sure what the motive would be here.
A CEO is murdered and the large shareholders would benefit?
That would only be the case if they thought he was a massive hindrance to the stock price.
Having said that, the stock price did go up after BT was killed.

I'm still having difficulty seeing this as a motive. Most of those stockholders are large institutions holding the stock in large mutual funds. Definitely not worth killing over.

DOJ launched a probe for insider trading. It’s hard telling what else has been going on behind the scenes.

 

[Snoopster]

Why is he, the CEO, walking solo to an event that has been publicized without a security detail. Especially after threats have been made.

Good question. Although I would disagree that the event had been 'publicized'. The people invited to these investor days are typically working for the large, prestigious brokerage firms. And they would hear about it through their job.

Regarding the 'walking solo to the event', I would love to know more.
We don't know where BT was staying the previous evening. Was it at the Hilton? Did he go out for walk? Was he staying somewhere more prestigious and got dropped off nearby by a 'driver' that morning to attend the meeting? How did the shooter know he would be approaching that side door?

This implies possible inside info (colleagues, family). Or did the shooter check out the investor meeting the previous quarter and laid his plans from there?

 

[Inthedetails]

So, a couple of questions...

1) The bike. I am not familiar with the bike rentals in NYC, but where I have used them in other cities they required a credit card. And I believe the rental companies shuttle the bikes around to ensure adequate supply at the various locations. Therefore they keep track of them.

2) How did he know that BT would be going in the side door of the Hilton? Surely he didn't follow him on a bike?

Since he's seen with a battery on the UWS but not with a bike, maybe an accomplice provided the bike but it needed to be charged. Or maybe it's the shooter's own bike he previously purchased and stashed near the crime scene.

jmo

 

[Snoopster]

DOJ launched a probe for insider trading. It’s hard telling what else has been going on behind the scenes.

Lots of people get charged for insider trading. But it's usually not a motive for murder. Not that I can recall. (and I worked in the institutional investment business for 30 years)

But your point is well taken. We obviously don't know what is going on behind the scenes. So thanks for mentioning this.

 

[Inthedetails]

#Breaking In UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson shooting in Manhattan - “Multiple law enforcement sources tell NY1 that police are investigating a message that may have been left on one of the bullet casings found at the scene.”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1864503401624519047

I sure didn't see "message on a bullet" coming.

jmo

 

[MassGuy]

Since he's seen with a battery on the UWS but not with a bike, maybe an accomplice provided the bike but it needed to be charged. Or maybe it's the shooter's own bike he previously purchased and stashed near the crime scene.

jmo

The thinking seems to be that he stashed it somewhere near the scene.

I just wonder where.

 

[clearskies1]

Shooter was winging around Manhattan -- UWS, Mid-town, Central Park. He knows the city.

 

[LinasK]

How do you leave a message on a bullet casing?

Etched?

 

[Snoopster]

Why is he, the CEO, walking solo to an event that has been publicized without a security detail. Especially after threats have been made.

Very good question. Why indeed?
Security is critical in this particular industry.

 

[Friday Fan]

I sure didn't see "message on a bullet" coming.

jmo

I sure don't see it becoming a "real thing".
If I'm wrong, I'll drink to that!

 

[Inthedetails]

Timeline
Specific time unknown: Gunman is seen on surveillance video on the Upper West Side carrying what appears to be a battery for an electric bike

6:17am: Gunman purchases a water bottle and two power bars at the Starbucks at 56th Street and 6th Avenue

6:39am: Gunman arrives on foot outside one of the side entrances on 54th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues

6:44am: Thompson is shot on 54th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, outside one of the side entrances to the Hilton

6:46am: Police respond to a 911 call reporting that someone had been shot in front of the Hilton located on 6th Avenue between 53rd and 54th streets.

6:48am: Officers arrive on scene outside Hilton

6:48am: Gunman is seen riding a bike on Center Drive in Central Park

7:12am: Thompson is pronounced dead at Mount Sinai West, 58th Street and 10th Avenue

Where was he between the Starbucks purchase and arrived outside the Hilton. That walk is a very short distance. Did he wait inside Starbucks for a call or text? It was cold this morning - I can see the desire to wait indoors.

jmo

 

[IzzyBlanche]

7:12am: Thompson is pronounced dead at Mount Sinai West, 58th Street and 10th Avenue

Snipped for focus.

Police commissioner Tisch said in the PC that he was taken to Roosevelt Hospital, which was what it was before becoming Mount Sinai West.

It's probably one of those things like New Yorkers know Avenue of the Americas is actually Sixth Avenue.

But it sure can cause some confusion.

 

[MassGuy]

Why is he, the CEO, walking solo to an event that has been publicized without a security detail. Especially after threats have been made.

CNN was talking about this earlier. United has a protective team that covers all the top executives. No answer on if one was present for that event, or why he didn’t have someone escorting him.

 

[airportwoman]

Why is he, the CEO, walking solo to an event that has been publicized without a security detail. Especially after threats have been made.

He may well have thought, "I'm an insurance executive, not a famous actor or politician. Nobody outside my industry would recognize me."

 

[getthefax]

I checked and do not see where this has been posted. I apologize if it has.

Mystery woman fled after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson shooting

It has all the hallmarks of a dramatic new spy movie. At 6.44am on Wednesday, a masked assassin shot dead a multi-millionaire executive on one of New York's busiest shopping streets.

www.dailymail.co.uk

In the video the bystander scurried away. Looked like they had no idea what was happening and ran away, IMO.

 

[ATaco]

When silencer/suppressor possession is illegal, it's the difficulty obtaining it, not necessarily the legality, that would be shooter's concern. They aren't usually sold in gun shops, and buyers set up trusts to own them legally. They come in different sizes and diameters for different weapons, and that could be problem for an illegal buyer.

Is it really that hard to find for someone who knows how to navigate the black market? ( sorry if that sounds rude, not my intent). I would not be surprised if any portion of that weapon was not registered. This seems like someone who knows how to do this.