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A shooting in downtown Manhattan this week that resulted in the death of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive officer has all the hallmarks of a revenge killing, says Northeastern University criminologist James Alan Fox.
The fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare’s chief executive in Manhattan this week has all the hallmarks of a revenge killing, says Northeastern University criminologist James Alan Fox.
On Wednesday morning, a suspect was captured on video stalking Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO, on a sidewalk before raising a weapon equipped with a silencer and shooting Thompson in the back.
Authorities examined the bullet casings on Thursday and discovered the words, written in permanent marker, “deny,” “defend” and “depose.”
The message closely resembles the phrase “delay, deny, defend,” which refers to a set of common tactics by insurers to avoid paying claims.
@northeasternglobalnews The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO is still at large, and criminologist James Alan Fox says his actions were “likely an act of revenge.” #UnitedHealthcare #UnitedHealthcareCEO #CEO #Crime #NewYork #Expert ♬ original sound – NGN
The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO is still at large, and criminologist James Alan Fox says his actions were “likely an act of revenge.” #UnitedHealthcare #UnitedHealthcareCEO #CEO #Crime #NewYork #Expert
“Given what we know, including the inscription on the ammunition, and the fact that he stalked this person down — and apparently knew that this conference was going on in New York City — says to me that this is likely an act of revenge,” Fox, who teaches criminology, law and public policy, tells Northeastern Global News.
As of Thursday afternoon, the suspect was still at large — though investigators appear to be closer to identifying the person.
In footage of the killing, the suspect could be seen with a backpack, wearing a green hooded jacket with a face mask around his neck. The suspect stalked Thompson, who was apparently headed to a company conference, then fired multiple shots from behind, according to police.
Afterward, police said the suspect had taken off on an unmarked e-bike.
As the lengthy search so far attests, the suspect may have believed that he could avoid capture, taking measures in an attempt to do so, Fox says. “The getaway plan, use of the silencer, the fact that he was wearing a hood — these are done as a means to get away with the crime,” he says.
The tragedy of Thompson’s death aside, the early-morning killing sparked a conversation on social media about the negative experiences patients and families have had with health insurance companies — a swirl of chatter that Fox says could say a lot about a potential motive.
“In a case like this, without the knowledge of what was written on the bullets, one may say that he could have been an employee of the company who was terminated. But the phrase on the ammunition suggests something different,” Fox says. “It might be that someone, the gunman or someone close to him, was insured by this company and was denied the kind of coverage that they hoped for, and probably suffered tremendously.”
“If that’s the case,” Fox continues, “one way to approach it would be to examine denials and see if there were any instances where, following the denial, there was a record of any loud or threatening conversation between individuals.”
The busy city environs notwithstanding, Fox says there are numerous crimes and single-victim homicides that perpetrators have gotten away with — at least, for some time.
“It’s not unheard of, even for a crowded city,” he says.
Fox says that once investigators determine the suspect’s identity, it will be a lot easier to apprehend him.
“With a name, you know where he lives, where he works, who his relatives are,” Fox says.