UnitedHealthcare Chief Executive Brian Thompson was gunned down early Wednesday outside a New York City hotel. To date, no arrest has been made in connection to the crime. Earlier, investigators released an unmasked image of the gunman, who was reportedly smiling hours before the slaying and had written a chilling note on a bullet fragment. There are new speculations about a theory that the weapon used in the murder is a modernized version of a rare World War II spy gun.
Potential Link to WWII Spy Gun
Reports from the New York Post suggest that the firearm involved in the Midtown murder may have been purchased from a Connecticut-based gun manufacturer. Surveillance footage from the scene shows the suspect aiming the weapon while carrying a luxury backpack often seen with professional photographers. The gun used was fitted with a silencer, allowing the killer to flee discreetly as the gunfire went largely unnoticed by nearby pedestrians.
According to sources, a “B&T VP9,” which is the modified version of the Welrod pistol, an originally suppressed developed weapon during World War II, is what the firearm is identified to be. Authorities investigate the link and recent purchase as part of the probe on this firearm. For now, however, this is just a theory and has not been confirmed.
Law Enforcement Investigates Shooter’s Motive and Background
The killer, who was in New York City for 10 days before the murder, also left words at the scene of the crime: “deny,” “depose,” and “defend,” possibly indicating an anti-insurance motive. Former NYPD Inspector Paul Mauro commented that he doubts the shooter was an experienced professional hitman. “What we know so far is that he was very calm; he clearly knew the route… but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a murder for hire. Those things do happen. However, I am skeptical of the idea that this was a ‘professional shooter,'” Mauro said.
Former DEA firearms instructor David Katz added his thoughts, saying that although the suspect seemed to know what he was dealing with in the rare firearm, he did not appear to be an experienced shooter. Katz said, “The operation that he does with his hands is consistent with the operation of that weapon,” and added that the shooter moved to manually rack the slide with his left hand, indicating that he knew he had to chamber a round after each shot. Despite these actions, Katz said the suspect made several critical mistakes, suggesting a lack of professional skill.
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