The online sleuthing community is declining to aid authorities in their quest to apprehend the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, NBC News reported.
Thompson was shot and killed just prior to 7 a.m. local time on Wednesday outside of the New York Hilton Midtown. He was shot once in the right calf and in the back, New York Police Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny.
Thompson was declared dead 30 minutes later in what authorities say was a "brazen, targeted," and "premeditated" attack.
Michael McWhorter, better known to his 6.7 million TikTok followers as TizzyEnt, posts true crime and viral news content. He told NBC News Thompson's case is distinct in that his followers are typically supportive of apprehending a murder suspect.
"I have yet to see a single video that's pounding the drum of 'we have to find him,' and that is unique," McWhorter said. "And in other situations of some kind of blatant violence, I would absolutely be seeing that."
As the manhunt for the unidentified man reaches its fourth day, authorities now believe he fled Manhattan by taking a taxi to the Port Authority facility and then boarding a bus out of New York City.
The words "deny," "defend," and "depose" were found emblazoned on the ammunition, echoing a phrase used by insurance industry critics, two law enforcement officials said Thursday.
The messages on the 9 mm ammunition found at the scene of the shooting mimic the phrase "delay, deny, defend," which is commonly used by lawyers and insurance industry critics to describe tactics used to avoid paying claims.
It refers to insurers delaying payment, denying a claim and then defending their actions. Health insurers like UnitedHealthcare have become frequent targets of criticism from doctors and patients for denying claims or complicating access to care.
Despite tantalizing clues, many of the most reliable digital detectives have opted to stay on the sidelines rather than help find the killer of the father of two. Savannah Sparks, who boasts 1.3 million followers on TikTok revealing the identities of people who do racist or seemingly criminal acts in viral videos, said her followers are choosing to mock the death of Thompson.
Sparks referenced post such as "concepts of thoughts and prayers. It's, you know, claim denied on my prayers there." When asked by NBC News if her community was helping to track down Thompson's, she answered, "Absolutely the f*** not."
TikTok sleuth That Danesh Guy said, "I don't have to encourage violence. I don't have to condone violence by any means. But I also don't have to help."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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