 "Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealth's insurance unit, was killed on Wednesday morning outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel. UnitedHealth Group/Reuters")
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s murder in broad daylight in New York has sent shockwaves throughout the US but social media users are not sympathetic towards his death.
Thompson was the executive of UnitedHealth’s insurance unit and was fatally shot outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel in the early hours of Wednesday, in what the police think was a preemptive attack.
While most reacted to his death with a sense of shock, netizens seemed to be indifferent and erupted with contempt for the industry and particularly the company Thompson represented.
Thompson had worked at UnitedHealth since 2004 in several divisions, according to a biography later removed from the company’s website. “Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him,” the company said in a statement.
‘Sending prior authorisation and prayers to his family’
Posts and comments about Thompson’s murder on X and TikTok showed how frustrated American citizens are with services provided by UnitedHealthcare.
“Sending prior authorization, denied claims, collections & prayers to his family,” one user wrote on TikTok.
Another user replying to a news article on Thompson’s murder “being investigated as a possible hit,” said, “As someone covered under UnitedHealthcare I can completely understand the actions taken.”
Standup comedian Samantha Ruddy wrote on X, “Got a push notification to exercise caution because the United Healthcare shooter is still at large. I personally do not feel like I am on the shooter’s radar because I am not the CEO of a highly divisive multi billion dollar insurance company.”
Manhunt on
Meanwhile, New York police were searching on Thursday for the man who killed UnitedHealth Thompson in a brazen attack outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel and was last seen fleeing into Central Park.
The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were carved into the shell casings found at the scene, police sources told ABC and the New York Post. Reuters has not independently verified that information. The words mirror the title of a book critical of the insurance industry published in 2010 titled “Delay Deny Defend.”
Impact Shorts
More ShortsInvestigators have not yet named a suspect and were still looking for a motive, the New York City Police Department said during a press conference on Wednesday morning. They have not provided a briefing since.
With inputs from Reuters