NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown. #2

[alsleuther]

Inside accomplice or no accomplice, the gunman had no way of knowing that the CEO would not have security with him. Everyone knows that high profile CEOs very often have security. So, we can only assume that in his planning, the gunman had to assume that there was a high degree of likliehood that the CEO would be traveling with one or more security people. Was the gunman doing this with the idea that there is a very good chance that the assassination would involve him in having to go up against security ????

One could review online financials and see that there are no security expenses for the execs.

Despite previous threats, slain UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson didn't travel with security

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, gunned down in front of a busy New York City hotel, didn't travel with any personal security despite known threats against him.

www.yahoo.com

"No current or former executives of UnitedHealth Group receive regular company-funded personal security service, according to the insurance giant's two most recent proxy statements. Companies have to report security expenses for directors or corporate officers if the value exceeds $10,000 per year.

Two of UnitedHealthcare's peers, Humana and Cigna, both said in their most recent proxy statements that they provide personal security to executives. SEC records, though, did not disclose which executives received this protection or how much was being spent."

 

[Bridger]

He had no problem shooting a man in the middle of a city. Why would he have any issues with shooting any additional security forces with him?

Because hie weapon was extremely unreliable and jammed at least three times?

 

[Inthedetails]

Why would such a motive be far fetched? Access to health care and under what conditions is a "hot button" issue.
The victim was a CEO of a large health care provider.

Another poster mentioned that certain websites are being "lit up" by people posting personal information about other health care CEOs, and / or indirectly encouraging or soliciting similar attacks etc.

The end result, is that there are a good number of people willing to encourage violence against healthcare CEOS for ideological reasons. It stands to reason that there could be a smaller number actually willing to carry out an attack.

Exactly. At this point, with the info we have so far, many theories are still viable, imo. We'll whittle down eventually.

jmo

 

[Knitty]

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[Cryptic]

Kenny said police had reached out to Thompson's colleagues for guidance as to why he was going early to the meeting, but suggested the CEO may have intended to help set up for the event, which UnitedHealthcare canceled after the shooting."

I don't know if he always helped set up before meetings or not. Moo.

I share your doubts.

As @Millhouse stated, it is not uncommon for big wigs to arrive early to personally greet and welcome other VIPS, exchange gossip etc.

Likewise, I really doubt CEOs do a whole lot of "setting up" of anything (exceptions do exist).

Ordering, directing, leading, facilitating meetings?- yes absolutely. "Setting up" whether it be moving tables or arranging speaking orders and topics are probably done alot further down the food chain than the CEO.

Heck, even "organizing" is probably done further down the food chain.

 

[Friday Fan]

He was scheduled to speak at an investors meeting. It's super easy to find specific meeting details online (location, start/end times, speaker names, etc.). So, if he knew the meeting start time, one can figure a speaker would show up around an hour prior, especially if the meeting will be serving breakfast. All the assassin had to really know was the exact hotel BT would be staying at. Find the meeting location, then start to call the hotels in the vicinity and ask for BT, or "Is this the hotel the UNC staff is staying at for the investors meeting?" I'm sure it's not hard to find an inexperienced hotel front desk employee who would willingly give out that information without a second thought.

Yes, I believe shareholder meetings dates, times info etc are public info. It might be part of financial disclosure laws. JMO....

My only info is from years ago reading financial statements and info about shareholders meetings via snail mail. I believe the location of the upcoming meeting was included. All MOO.

 

[tlcya]

Am I the only one seeing the shooter with a female face ? Check the photos were the mask isn't worn.

The suspect does have a very attractive symmetrical face and a beautiful smile. For the first few seconds upon viewing I too wondered if it was a female.

 

[Elliot_Alderson]

Because hie weapon was extremely unreliable and jammed at least three times?

And? What does that have to do with his willingness to shoot additional people interfering in his primary mission?

 

[SRWCF]

After fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, here's what we know

Details are emerging after a gunman shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside of a Manhattan hotel. Here's what we know.

www.cbsnews.com

So, according to this article:

"..Thompson was not a guest at the Hilton hotel, Tisch said. He had been staying at the Marriott across the street and was headed to the Hilton on Wednesday morning for the conference, which was set to begin at 8 a.m. Kenny said police had reached out to Thompson's colleagues for guidance as to why he was going early to the meeting, but suggested the CEO may have intended to help set up for the event, which UnitedHealthcare canceled after the shooting."

I don't know if he always helped set up before meetings or not. Moo.

My company's CEO used to arrive to our board meetings early to look at name plates and rearrange them to where he wanted board members and staff to sit. That could have been the case here, but who knows? There really is little that a CEO can do to "help" during meeting set ups.

 

[Stunned]

Am I the only one seeing the shooter with a female face ? Check the photos were the mask isn't worn.

Nope!, I thought it also.

 

[Deleted member 349831]

Philip Klein, whose Texas-based security firm Klein Investigations previously provided bodyguards for Thompson in the 2000s, tells TMZ ... he is "shocked and baffled" to see the high-profile CEO didn't have a "detail" (at least 10 security guards) with him while out and about in Manhattan -- given the malevolence the insurance industry often faces.

He also says Thompson should've been wearing a vest in addition to having guards by his side, but adds ... he likely didn't have it on due to personal preference.

Brian Thompson's Former Bodyguard 'Baffled' by Lack of Security

A former bodyguard for Brian Thompson, the UnitedHealthcare CEO who was shot and killed in NYC, is in complete disbelief the exec didn't have security when he was murdered.

www.tmz.com

 

[MissPie]

The suspect does have a very attractive symmetrical face and a beautiful smile. For the first few seconds upon viewing I too wondered if it was a female.

<modsnip - off topic> (I see a he.)

 

[Kapua]

I'm not accusing the wife at all, but a spouse being responsible for murder isn't all that far fetched. Just the opposite, in my opinion. Most murder victims are killed by people they know, and murder for hire, even by a woman (hello Donna Adelson), isn't unheard of.

As always, IMO.

IMO, this case seems atypical of most murders. I don't want to rule any possibilities out, but with the etching of the words (delay, defend, depose) on the shell casings, my best guess is lone vigilante fixated on this particular healthcare CEO. But nothing would surprise me.

 

[eloquence]

MOO- we will learn that this person or a family member had a poor experience with UNH (what are the odds of that right?) and that Mr. Thompson was not a specific target, but that the gunman learned of the investor day and camped out planning to shoot the first business looking person that walked in. Even Brian Thompson wouldn't have known he was going to be in that spot at that time.

JMO - but having attended conferences and stayed at this hotel, this is a VERY large hotel known to hold multiple conferences and events. Plus many execs stay there for other reasons (work travel etc). If you are just picking someone in a suit associated with the hotel, you would have hundreds of options and most of them wouldn’t be an exec at UHC. I think gunman had a single target in mind.

 

[whitelilac]

Because hie weapon was extremely unreliable and jammed at least three times?

It jammed because of the suppressor. It didn't faze him. The jamming may even have been expected.

 

[tlcya]

He looks like a young Rob Lowe to me. (I see a he.)

Yes, that - a young Rob Lowe. I see a male too, but initially I did a doubletake wondering if it was a female posing as a male.

 

[sunshineray]

Sounds like someone who knew, knew he'd be there early. I'm assuming it was his usual way of doing things.....get there early to welcome everyone else. As the head honcho, this would be a logical "good will" type of move.

So, who all was aware of his usual M.O.?

as always, my opinion only

What about an investor? Would small investors also be informed of that meeting? Or was it just for the major investors to attend?

 

[SRWCF]

The suspect does have a very attractive symmetrical face and a beautiful smile. For the first few seconds upon viewing I too wondered if it was a female.

Same. I thought this assassin is a handsome individual, which means he won't stay unrecognized for long. We all notice good looking people in public, whether it be man or woman.

 

[MesquiteO21]

He was scheduled to speak at an investors meeting. It's super easy to find specific meeting details online (location, start/end times, speaker names, etc.). So, if he knew the meeting start time, one can figure a speaker would show up around an hour prior, especially if the meeting will be serving breakfast. All the assassin had to really know was the exact hotel BT would be staying at. Find the meeting location, then start to call the hotels in the vicinity and ask for BT, or "Is this the hotel the UNC staff is staying at for the investors meeting?" I'm sure it's not hard to find an inexperienced hotel front desk employee who would willingly give out that information without a second thought.

do we know that the meeting details were available online (time and place)? does someone have a source for that?

jmo

 

[eloquence]

Yes, I believe shareholder meetings dates, times info etc are public info. It might be part of financial disclosure laws. JMO....

My only info is from years ago reading financial statements and info about shareholders meetings via snail mail. I believe the location of the upcoming meeting was included. All MOO.

This was an investor day event open only to institutional investors and analysts. The location is not made public but the public can watch online

UHC’s shareholder meeting open to the broader public is fully virtual, as many companies have gone post-covid. Partially for security reasons for sure.