Brian Thompson was brutally murdered while walking the streets of New York, a crime that might typically inspire support for the police through online detective efforts.
The CEO of UnitedHealthcare was shot three times from behind near the Hilton Hotel on Wednesday, December 4, at 6:46 am in Manhattan, New York City. The shooter has not been apprehended.
Thompson, a father of two, was on his way to an insurance conference organized by his company when the attack occurred. The New York Police Department indicated that the assailant had been waiting for roughly five minutes before executing the attack.
Following the murder, the perpetrator left behind clues for the FBI, including dumping a bag in Central Park containing monopoly money and a jacket.
Ordinarily, such clues would draw the attention of online investigators, but this case hasn’t received the usual level of interest.
Sukrit Venkatagiri, an assistant professor of computer science at Swarthmore College, shared his thoughts on the lack of public interest in finding Thompson’s killer in an interview with NBC News.
“They don’t really empathize with who the victim is in this scenario,” he explained.
“People are less motivated, from an altruistic perspective, to help this victim in this specific case,” he added, noting that the general public might struggle to connect with a high-ranking executive reportedly earning $10 million annually.
TikToker thatdanesguy, who has gained two million followers for his online detective work, including exposing racist individuals, provided his reasons for not engaging with this case.
In a three-minute video, he pointed out that UnitedHealthcare, under Thompson’s leadership, denied nearly a third of all claims submitted.
He stated, “I don’t have to encourage violence. I don’t have to condone violence by any means. But I also don’t have to help.”
Despite the unusual silence from TikTok users, a reward of $10,000 has been offered for information leading to the capture of the murderer.
Additional details have emerged regarding the suspected murder weapon, which is thought to be a veterinary gun usually used for euthanizing farm animals. The weapon requires reloading after each shot, as evidenced in the footage of the crime.