When UnitedHealthcare made headlines for terrifying 2015 caught-on-camera murders of reporter and cameraman

The slaying of Brian Thompson allegedly by 26-year-old Luigi Mangione is not the first time UnitedHealthcare made headlines for murder.

Published on: Dec 16, 2024, 07:03:52 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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The slaying of Brian Thompson allegedly by 26-year-old Luigi Mangione is not the first time UnitedHealthcare made headlines for murder. In August 2015, a former employee of the company executed a Virginia reporter and her cameraman live on air while they were conducting an interview.

UnitedHealthcare made headlines for terrifying 2015 caught-on-camera murders (REUTERS/Eric Miller/File Photo) (REUTERS)

Vester Lee Flanagan II died by suicide after killing reporter Alison Parker, 24, and photojournalist Adam Ward, 27, who were working for CBS affiliate WDBJ-TV in Roanoke. The terrifying incident was caught on camera, and ran on the station’s morning news program. Eight gunshots could be heard, followed by screams, before Flanagan, 41, could be seen holding a gun. Both Parker and Ward were declared dead at the scene. Vicki Gardner, the woman the victims were interviewing, suffered a bullet wound to her back, but survived.

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Vester Lee Flanagan II had been fired by the news outlet

The news outlet had reportedly fired Flanagan in 2013 for poor performance and disruptive behavior. He later began working at a UnitedHealthcare call center in Roanoke, and reportedly worked there until November 2014.

While working at UnitedHealthcare, Flanagan allegedly grabbed a female employee’s shoulder and aggressively asked her not to talk to him again, reports claimed. It remains unclear why he quit this job.

Flanagan posted a video of the murders to his X (then Twitter) account. He died by suicide during a car chase with police.

Thompson became CEO of UnitedHealthcare Group nearly six years after this incident. Mangione allegedly shot Thompson dead on a sidewalk in Midtown, and was arrested at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s following a massive manhunt. The Ivy League graduate is now facing a slew of charges, including murder and gun possession, and remains jailed without bail.

Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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