Following this week’s capture of the man accused of shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson to death, law enforcement officials, business executives, and workers in the health insurance sector have reported being harassed and threatened.
Even though political and business leaders strongly denounced the heinous murder on a New York City street a week ago, the masked gunman has become a cause célèbre for some Americans who view the crime as a symbolic rejection of the nation’s healthcare system.
Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate and the suspect’s lawyer, has stated that he plans to enter a not guilty plea to all counts.
Officials worry that the shooting could lead to similar incidents.
Posts on social media On Wednesday, pictures of wanted posters with pictures of the CEOs of at least two health insurance companies were shown in Manhattan. The executives are accused in the posters of refusing medical care in order to maximize corporate profits.
The words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” were used on the posters, many of which have since been removed, in reference to the gunshot shell casings discovered at the crime site. Additionally, the words have been used to praise the killing on products that is sold online.
A request for comment was not answered by either of the businesses listed in the posters.
Who was responsible for the stunt is unknown.
According to Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, an advocacy group for the city’s business sector, two CEOs were involved in events over the weekend. One CEO received a package containing a fictitious bomb, while the other CEO received a threat of anthrax. She stated that those leaders are not in the medical field.
According to Wylde, the corporate world wants to suppress any attention as much as possible.
“It’s risky,” she continued. They do not wish to become the center of attention. Since it makes them a target, no CEO wants to be at the heart of this controversy.
According to Rebecca Weiner, deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism at the New York Police Department, Thompson’s murder is similar to a domestic terrorist strike and might spread like wildfire.
Weiner stated during a Washington, D.C., event for the nonpartisan think group Atlantic Council that the murder is already being reflected in the barrage of online hate speech that we have been experiencing since last Wednesday and the heroization of the alleged murderer.
“The disproportionate impact of a specific act of violence is one of the reasons we are concerned about terrorism,” she continued.
Industry leaders are not the only ones who feel vulnerable.
According to a UnitedHealthcare employee who spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern for their personal safety and the possibility of losing their job, the company has received phone threats in the past week. Some have been from members who are angry about their claims, while others are from people who want to voice their general complaints about the business.
According to the employee, they just received a call requesting information about the employee’s children and that they are aware of a threat to blow up a UnitedHealthcare facility.
Another employee told me, “This is why y’all’s CEO was shot, and if you’re not careful, you’re going to be next.”
The employee stated that the company’s employees have been encouraged to use an employee support program that provides therapy and have a script for de-escalating calls. However, the employees are obviously stressed, overwhelmed, and crying, and some have had to take a break from the phone to collect themselves, the employee stated.
According to the employee, “I hope people can understand that the people they’re calling and speaking to are just as vulnerable to injustice as they are.” We are not members of the elite. We’re not simply sitting here doing nothing but saying that you won’t be accepted.
After being identified at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Mangione was apprehended on Monday, after a multistate manhunt that lasted for several days. An employee was warned by a customer, who then informed the authorities.
Governor Josh Shapiro commended our fellow Pennsylvanian who acted heroically during a press conference.
However, in a very contentious case, Derek Swope, the deputy chief of Altoona police, told reporters on Tuesday that threats came after the arrest.
Threats against our personnel and this building have been reported to us. According to Swope, we have begun looking into several threats made against members of our community. All of those threats are being taken seriously, and we are following up on them as much as possible.
He made no mention of any threats made against any of the staff members at the McDonald’s where Mangione was apprehended. Numerous unfavorable internet reviews have been left for the restaurant, some of which make reference to rats in the kitchen.
Mangione is still detained in Pennsylvania while he fights extradition to New York, where he faces charges of murder and unlawful gun possession.
In addition to the previously reported handwritten letter, Mangione was also caught carrying a notepad, according to two people involved with the inquiry who spoke to NBC News.
He is accused of writing in the notebook that he wanted to use a gun to target a CEO during a conference and that this was a better option than using an explosive device to protect others.
A request for comment regarding the purported notebook was not immediately answered by Mangione’s attorney, Thomas Dickey.
According to Wylde, she can see why some people could be unhappy with the way some sectors run and believes that they should have the freedom to voice their opinions. However, she claimed that the violence, mistrust, and terror that have been let loose have a chilling impact on cooperation or openness in working together.
She went on to say that using violence does not lead to positive results. It only causes more strife and paralysis in our society.
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