NYPD issues warning over ‘wanted’ posters of healthcare execs in Manhattan after Brian Thompson murder
Officials fear Luigi Mangione, the suspected gunman in the attack on Thompson, might be viewed as a ‘martyr’ and could inspire other attacks
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The New York Police Department issued a bulletin on Tuesday warning that health insurance executives might be at risk after "wanted" posters featuring their images and salaries appeared around Manhattan.
The bulletin comes in the wake of the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week.
The NYPD suggested that Luigi Mangione, the 24-year-old man arrested on suspicion of shooting Thompson, may be viewed as a "martyr" by some, and could inspire other attacks.
The bulletin notes that the shooter's actions could have the "capability to inspire a variety of extremists and grievance-driven malicious actors to violence," which was first reported by ABC News.
"Both prior to and after the suspected perpetrator's identification and arrest, some online users across social media platforms reacted positively to the killing, encouraged future targeting of similar executives, and shared conspiracy theories regarding the shooting," the bulletin added.
The NYPD's bulletin included examples of social media posts sharing the names and salaries of eight health insurance CEOs, claiming that users were "emphasizing that it is a hit list, and that CEOs should be afraid."
In addition to the social media posts, police reported they had discovered "wanted" posters in Manhattan with the images of corporate executives and bullet-shaped graphics linking Thompson's killing to healthcare claims denied by by UnitedHealthcare.
"UnitedHealthcare killed everyday people for the sake of profit," one of the posters noted, police reported. "As a result, Brian Thompson was denied his claim to life. Who will be denied next?"
Another message read: "Wall Street CEOs Should Not Feel Safe: Deny, Defend, Depose."
"Deny, Defend, Depose" were the words Thompson’s attacker wrote on the bullets used in his fatal shooting, according to police.
The NYPD bulletin also included examples of social media users expressing their belief that Thompson deserved what happened to him.
"My mom was denied chemo multiple times and suffered tremendously. They missed her cancer for two years because she was constantly denied … she will have life-altering damage because of it. F*** him may he rest in piss," one user wrote about Thompson, according to the bulletin.
The bulletin also included the text of a Reddit message lamenting corporate influence over the US government.
"The politicians are compromised and the corporations are suffocating us - all CEOs should be considered. Sucks when your government is bought by these CEOs who immediately impact the masses," the bulletin recounted.