NYPD has offered a $10,000 reward for information on the masked assailant who shot United Healthcare CEO Brandon Thompson. The seemingly small reward amount to catch the shooter of a prominent player for the largest health insurer in the U.S. has triggered a volley of caustic reactions online, with many leaving blistering comments on X (formerly Twitter).
The comments on X also highlighted exasperation over the healthcare system’s alleged exploitative practices. After authorities declared they would be offering up to $10,000 for information that leads to the arrest of the shooter who shot and killed United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a social media user quipped:
“A better reward would be good health insurance. $10K won’t even cover a typical hospital stay.”
Most users were surprised that the largest insurers in America couldn’t offer up a higher reward amount to catch the perpetrator responsible for shooting one of their high-level employees. A social media user said:
“If the UHC CEO's salary or even just a million was offered the case would be solved quickly. UnitedHealthcare is worth billions & the reward to find out who unalived their CEO is only $10,000?”
Another post noted, “They must not want to catch him too badly — that $10K wouldn’t even cover one chemotherapy treatment.”
Several social media users expressed their displeasure with what they perceived to be an exploitative healthcare system.
“Ten thousand dollar reward ... that wouldn't pay most of your medical bills under UHC insurance,” a user said.
Echoing the statement, another user added, “It's worth noting $10,000 doesn't cover the average hospital bill - even after insurance pays.”
As Social media witnessed a barrage of complaints about health insurance following the shooting, one user said:
“Dude was someone’s father, son, brother, husband. Chill with the ... tweets.”
What we know about United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson shooting
A manhunt is underway for the unidentified shooter, who fled the scene on a bike after the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Brian Thompson, who worked out UnitedHealthcare’s offices in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and lived in Maple Grove with his wife Paulette and two kids, was in New York to attend the annual Investor Conference Wednesday.
The shooter was hiding behind a car outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan for about five minutes early Wednesday morning when Thompson exited and was subsequently shot.
Surveillance video from the area showed the shooter, who was wearing a mask, approaching the UnitedHealthcare CEO from behind and shooting him multiple times before crossing the street. The video also showed a terrified bystander running away after witnessing the shooting.
Thompson’s wife Paulette told NBC her husband had received several threats from irate UnitedHealthcare customers in the months leading up to the shooting.
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"There had been some threats, Basically, I don’t know, a lack of [health insurance] coverage? I don’t know the details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him."
Police are investigating a potential motive for what they believe is a targeted attack.
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