NY - UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fatally shot in Midtown.

[Notthisshipsister]

The report of the shooter firing from a distance and hitting him multiple times (I am assuming this was a handgun) tells the shooter is trained/experienced with his handgun.

Some reports say "from a distance" but it looks like the shooter wasn't very far behind him when he shot; looked to me like maybe 10' or so.
MOO

 

[Sadi]

No, but possibly an underage teenage son might take matters into his own hands?
The build is slight so I tend to think they are young.

I agree with you, seems to be a younger person.

 

[Boodles]

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.

I’m pretty sure the answer is yes, but I’m not a gun person. Can you legally pack a pistol and a silencer in your luggage to be checked by an airline? Would the baggage screening people do anything if they saw them inside luggage or is it perfectly fine as long as it’s going into cargo?

Asking because I don’t think he’s local to NYC or the tri-state area and that he must have flown there (although I guess he could have driven to the suburbs and taken the train into Manhattan). Can you carry a gun on a train in a backpack?

 

[citizen_sleuth]

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

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

At the press conference, the NYPD Chief of Detectives said that the bike used by the suspect had a GPS system, but most other e-bikes aside from Citi bikes don't have built-in GPS. If it wasn't a Citi bike, whose bike was it? If it was his own bike, how did he transport it to the scene and where is the bike now? E-bikes are very common in NYC but far less common outside of the city -- if it was his own bike that would lead me to believe he is local. Another possibility is that he stole the bike -- most delivery drivers in NYC use e-bikes and although most of the time they secure it with a bike lock, sometimes they will leave them on the sidewalk unsecured while picking up/dropping off a delivery.

 

[arielilane]

My first question is who benefits financially from his death? His wife? His family? His employers?
Or who has a grudge against him?
It was done publicly so the shooter wanted this to be a public event caught on camera otherwise he could have shot him in his hometown in a private location.

My thoughts, too. Who benefits most from his death?

 

[Inthedetails]

Some reports say "from a distance" but it looks like the shooter wasn't very far behind him when he shot; looked to me like maybe 10' or so.
MOO

Yeah, the "from a distance" was misleading when I think it only means it wasn't point blank.

jmo

 

[Notthisshipsister]

It is a cold day in Manhattan. Thompson was probably in a coat, maybe a hat. Seems to me he would be hard to recognize, everyone would be dressed similarly.

The video shows him in a suit. I, too, thought that if he was out for any length of time he'd be in a coat.
MOO

 

[x_files]

Nah, many snipers are young and have nerves of steel.

Agree, watch a video of school shooters they look eerily calm.

 

[IzzyBlanche]

When my sister moved to SoCal the first time, in the mid 1990s, several people told her to go without insurance before signing with Kaiser.

I'm in SoCal and have had Kaiser for almost ten years. I've been 90% pleased with it.

I know it used to be bad but I think it's improved since then.

 

[x_files]

The video shows him in a suit. I, too, thought that if he was out for any length of time he'd be in a coat.
MOO

A bright blue jacket that stands out vs black or gray for winter.

 

[ElizaKate]

LE said that the gunman was lying in wait for several minutes, so how does gunman know BT would not arrive while he is getting coffee?
Apparently, someone else is involved- maybe two or more are involved?
The timing seems precise. Shooter knew the exact time BT would be out there, apparently.
Only an opinion.

The "several minutes" reporting is slightly misleading I think. The timeline here states shooter was on scene an estimated 5 minutes prior to BT's arrival. New photo could identify suspect in shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson - live updates

It's either absolute chance (e.g. shooter had planned to hang around outside for a while and BT left earlier than shooter expected) or he had some form of intel on BT's movements.

 

[whitelilac]

I wonder if the lookout, or actual person who ordered this (if there was one, and who the shooter was on the phone with) was not only there to warn him of the victim's arrival but also to describe him. The blue jacket certainly helped that. If this was a hired hit, maybe the assassin had never actually seen him other than a photo.
Just a thought.

 

[Inthedetails]

The "several minutes" reporting is slightly misleading I think. The timeline here states shooter was on scene an estimated 5 minutes prior to BT's arrival. New photo could identify suspect in shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson - live updates

It's either absolute chance (e.g. shooter had planned to hang around outside for a while and BT left earlier than shooter expected) or he had some form of intel on BT's movements.

I think he had intel too. I think we'll see a conspiracy, not a lone shooter working independently.

jmo

 

[armchairagatha]

N

LE said that the gunman was lying in wait for several minutes, so how does gunman know BT would not arrive while he is getting coffee?
Apparently, someone else is involved- maybe two or more are involved?
The timing seems precise. Shooter knew the exact time BT would be out there, apparently.
Only an opinion.

This is a very good point. Definitely points to an accomplice. Either someone else was physically tracking Thompson closely or it was someone in his inner circle who knew of his movements precisely. Maybe someone he even shared his location with via phone location sharing(would point to a close friend or family in that case).

 

[Sadi]

LE said that the gunman was lying in wait for several minutes, so how does gunman know BT would not arrive while he is getting coffee?
Apparently, someone else is involved- maybe two or more are involved?
The timing seems precise. Shooter knew the exact time BT would be out there, apparently.
Only an opinion.

Someone tipped off the shooter with the time BT was leaving his hotel. Hotel staff? Another guest? A colleague of BT’s? I’m a local in MN, on the local news they said BT did not have any security with him on this trip and his schedule was publicized. It seems someone was out to get him for a reason. I hope they catch the person(s) responsible soon.

 

[Vaderman]

Unless you bought a new backpack and then ditched it.

jmo

I think even if tried to use new or different backpack, the mannerism in which I carry mine would subconsciously pull through and I'd still be recognized. I say this with the thought that he doesn't look awkward, uncomfortable, or out of place wearing the backpack and think it's something he's used to carrying.

Edited to clean up grammar.

 

[airportwoman]

A candy wrapper and water bottle were recovered and are believed to be linked to the shooter.

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.

abcnews.go.com

I have a feeling that whoever did this WANTS to be caught.

 

[arielilane]

Dont believe this article has been posted yet.

UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting live updates: Police search for gunman in Brian Thompson's death

Live updates and developments on the manhunt for the suspect in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was killed outside a New York City hotel.

www.nbcnews.com

Updated Dec. 4, 2024, 6:10 PM EST

 

[MassGuy]

I’m pretty sure the answer is yes, but I’m not a gun person. Can you legally pack a pistol and a silencer in your luggage to be checked by an airline? Would the baggage screening people do anything if they saw them inside luggage or is it perfectly fine as long as it’s going into cargo?

Asking because I don’t think he’s local to NYC or the tri-state area and that he must have flown there (although I guess he could have driven to the suburbs and taken the train into Manhattan). Can you carry a gun on a train in a backpack?

You can legally pack one if it’s legal to own one in a state that allows it. Technically it has to be legal in the state you’re traveling to as well, but they don’t check that.

You would have to declare the gun and the suppressor, which they check to make sure is secured properly (locked box). This then goes in your checked luggage.

Personally, I do think he is fairly local (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut), and traveled via car.

 

[x_files]

I agree with you, seems to be a younger person.

The choice of clothing and his face clean shaven looks youthful to me or a youthful-looking older adult.