What Does 'Deny, Depose, Defend' Mean? Here's Why People Are Comparing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's Shooter To 'The Riddler'

The mystery behind UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's shooting has only deepened overnight, with authorities now reporting that the shooter may have left a cryptic message on the bullets used in the attack, reading, "Deny, defend and depose."

The assassination was followed by the shooter's dramatic escape early on December 4th, initially believed to be via Citi Bike, a theory that has since been disproved.

In the day since the attack, many online have rallied behind the elusive assailant, with the latest revelations even drawing comparisons between the shooter and the Batman villain The Riddler, who famously waged a campaign against exploitative systems — insurance included.

Here's a recap of the shocking events and what discourse is going around about it online.

Where And How Was UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Shot?

Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot in Manhattan’s bustling Midtown area early on December 4th, 2024, reportedly while he was on his way to a meeting near the Hilton Hotel.

According to NYPD, the unknown assailant used a pistol with a silencer to fire multiple shots at the insurance CEO before fleeing the scene and escaping into Central Park.

The suspect in the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan appeared to be "lying in wait for several minutes" for "his intended target," police say. He fled and was last seen in Central Park in the morning.

Thompson was struck at least once in the… pic.twitter.com/wpeIxyHB6z

— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 4, 2024

The NYPD posted CCTV camera stills of the suspect shooting Brian Thompson multiple times and then feeling the scene of the crime on a blue bike on December 4th, subsequently releasing additional images showing the masked assailant inside a Starbucks coffee shot near the scene of the crime.

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How Did People React To UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's Shooting?

Many reactions to Brian Thompson's shooting were unexpectedly positive, reflecting public frustrations with UnitedHealthcare’s practices (and healthcare in the U.S. in general).

The company faced criticism in recent years for employing an AI system that incorrectly denied 90 percent of insurance claims, while Brian Thompsons own wife told reporters that "there had been some threats" to the CEO's life in recent years. The widow also implied that the threats were fueled by people's frustrations about "basically, I don't know, a lack of coverage?"

On December 4th, 2024, X user @lindawg quote tweeted the New York Post, writing, "He was already CEO when he was shot, pre-existing condition. Claim denied." Meanwhile, X user @bigblackjacobin tweeted a different version of the "Officer Down!" star concerning Thompson's death that was allegedly sent to him by a friend. He captioned the image, "This is how I found out."

The news spread on other social media platforms as well. For instance, on December 4th, Redditor blixt141 shared the news to the subreddit /r/LeopardsAteMyFace, gaining over 9,200 upvotes in a few hours. Other Redditors shared the news with viral engagement on other subreddits like /r/PublicFreakout and /r/conspiracy that same day.

Who Is Riley Walz, And What's Up With The Citi Bike Escape Theory?

Software engineer and internet personality Riley Walz gained brief notoriety on December 4th after he tweeted, "I am fairly confident of where the United Healthcare assassin escaped to. He escaped on an electric Citibike … I happen to continuously scrape Citibike data every minute, so I can see where individual bikes go."

The user claimed that only one Citi Bike went north during the timeframe and from the specific location. Their tweet received over 9,200 likes in a few hours. This claim, however, was later disproven due to Lyft denying that the shooter used a Citibike that morning.

So What's Up With The Words "Deny, Defend, Depose" Being Etched On Bullets Shot At Brian Thompson?

Hours into the investigation into Brian Thompson's death, detectives revealed that the shell casings found at the scene of the crime had the words "deny," "defend" and "depose" written on them. Internet sleuths quickly connected the words to a 2010 book by Jay Feinman, titled, "Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It."

The killer's decision to leave the cryptic message behind sparked comparisons to the Batman villain, The Riddler, known for his hatred of insurance companies and their exploitative practices.

The mysterious phrase mirrors the Riddler’s signature riddles, adding a puzzling angle to the crime that caught the attention of several internet users.

For the full history of Assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.