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A theory has emerged on the meaning behind the chilling message an assassin is reported to have left on the bullets he used to kill an insurance company CEO.
Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed in the early morning in Manhattan.
A manhunt is currently underway in New York, with the shooter still to be identified publicly.
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The NYPD held a press briefing following the shooting, in which they called the killing a ‘brazen, targeted attack’.
CCTV footage of the moment has released online, revealing the methodical nature in which the shooter carried out their attack.
New York’s police commissioner Jessica Tisch said of the shooting: “I want to be clear at this time, every indication is that this was a premeditated, pre-planned targeted attack."
Thompson was shot three times.
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An ABC News report added a chilling detail to the shooting, however, with police sources telling the news organisation that the words ‘Deny’, ‘Depose, and ‘Defend’ were found written on the shell casings from the shooting.
This has fuelled online speculation regarding the motives of the shooter, with a prevalent theory emerging linking the message on the bullets to a book which is critical of the way in which insurance companies, such as UnitedHealthcare, operate.
The book, written by Rutgers law professor Jay M. Feinman, is titled: “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance companies don’t pay claims and what you can do about it."
Online sleuths have noted shared words between the bullets and the book’s title, with the third of ‘Depose’ and ‘Deny’ being very similar, many have pointed to this as a clear link.
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An excerpt from the book reads: “The point of view in this book is pro-consumer but it is not anti-insurance. Insurance is essential to our economic security.
“But if insurance is to maintain its role as the great protector of the standard of living of the American middle class, prompt and fair claim handling has to be the rule.
“This book explores why that doesn't always happen, and why it is even less likely to happen today than fifteen or twenty years ago.”
Though there is, of course, no information indicating the killer was even aware of the book, it links to a common criticism of the healthcare industry and their denial of insurance claims.
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UnitedHealthcare is the largest health insurance conglomerate in the world, expected to rake in $450 Billion.
The company has been heavily criticised for their denial of insurance claims, with a study by Value Penguin showing that the company denied 32% of their claims, the worst of any major company.
This culminated in a protest at UnitedHealthcare’s offices, with 150 protesters showing up and 11 being arrested.
While the CEO’s shooting has not been officially linked to his position as CEO, the theory regarding the reported words written on the shell casings has indicated a link between the two.
LADbible Group has contacted the NYPD and Jay M. Feinman for comment.
Topics: Business, Crime, New York, US News, Luigi Mangione
Michael Slavin