Richard Arnold: US Correspondent gives an update on the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson

There are hints of a potential motive in the shooting of a top US executive in New York. 

UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot in the back in a premeditated attack on his way to a conference in Manhattan yesterday. 

Police have been investigating nearby hostels, while it's also reported the bullets had the words "deny" "deflect" and "depose" inscribed on them. 

US correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking they seem to reference ways health insurance companies seek to avoid paying patients' claims. 

He says UnitedHealthcare has come in for fierce criticism at times from both patients and lawmakers for denying claims. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Stateside, Richard, how are you doing well, Mike? Best for
the holidays, and I've seen the latest photo. They've got
to be able to work out who he is, don't they?
You'd think right? Killer has been unmasked partially. Police hunting
this murder of top insurance industry boss Brian Thompson outside
the New York hotel have released these two new photos
showing at least part of the gunman's face. They also

(00:21):
have gone to a hostel where the shooter stayed for
a couple of days. For most of that period he
kept on a black mast under his hoodie, but at
the front desk there were moments when he let the
mask slip, and so we have these photos in the
city of cameras. There are now more and more clues
in this manhunted. Was apparent from the star, of course,
that this was a targeted killing. The gun and was
waiting for Brian Thompson as he was heading into a

(00:42):
hotel for an industry presentation. Then he shot him several
times in the back, fixing his gun when it appeared
to jam for a brief moment during the attack. Police
now have found some bullet casings and there are messages
on the bullets they read delay, TOD and depose. So
these appear to be references the ways that health insurance
companies seek to avoid paying patient's claims. The company that

(01:05):
this coo led, United Healthcare, has coming for some fierce
criticism at times from patients and lawmakers and others for
denial of claims. The victim's wife, Paulette, has made a
brief statement, now.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
Brian was a wonderful person with a big heart and
who lived life to the fullest.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
She and her husband were separated some time ago. She
also has said that there had been threats to her husband,
but says she never knew any details. Okay, so we're guys.
Is Higg sith gunna survive? He's on thin ice, isn't he. Yeah,
he's back on Capitol Hill at the minute, trying to
salvage the whole thing. Senat Republicans are not talking because

(01:43):
they never do on these matters. But Democratic Senator Richard
Blumenthal says this about the circumstance that Higgs sith I
was facing.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
I've talked to five to ten Republicans who have said
to me they're just waiting for the right moment to
say no to Pete has said, and for very good reasons.
Why do you think so few Republicans, none by my account,
have been willing to come out and say they will
definitively not support this nominate. Nobody wants to defy Donald Trump.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
HeiG Sith says he spoke with Trump who told him, hypete,
I got your back. It's a fight.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
They're coming after you get after it.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
Got your back. Well, there are reports that Trump has
raised with his campaign for Ron de Centus that he
might take the defense job. Also, Trump has not been
on the phones trying to persuade senators to support Higgsseth.
We hear as additional stories emerge about drinking and mismanagement.
The two small veterans group that Hegseth was forced from
wound up in pretty dire financial straits. Hegseth says, if

(02:44):
he gets the top defense job, he will no longer
touch any alcohols.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
The biggest deployment of my life and there won't be
a drop of alcohol on my lips while I'm doing it.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
So is he an alcoholic? Would he be awakened alert if
some defense crisis erupted after ours? His mom, of course,
also went on Fox News yesterday to vouch for him
after she wrote that letter years ago slamming his behavior.
It is a new person. He's redeemed, forgiven changed. So
that's the verses and Mike likes of Don Rumsfeld to
Cheney never had their moms making television appearances like that one.

(03:19):
Go well, Michael ketchup next to you. Appreciate it as always.
Richard Arnold stateside for another year. For more from the
Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
It'd be from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast
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