The assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in the early morning hours of December 4, 2024, has sparked debate among law enforcement and firearms experts regarding the assailant’s proficiency.

The shooter, described as a white male approximately 6’1″ tall, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, long pants, a gray backpack and a black face mask, approached Thompson near the New York Hilton Midtown hotel around 6:45 a.m. and fired multiple shots from approximately 20 feet away, striking him in the back and right calf.

Notably, the gun appeared to malfunction with each shot, if it was a semi-auto, requiring the assailant to manually cycle the weapon—but the actions he took are also a characteristic of certain bolt-action pistols with integrated suppressors, such as the B&T Station Six based off the WWII English Welrod pistol (see video of one being fired here), which are rare and typically used by specialized military units. Some social media commenters suggested it was a semi-auto with a suppressor too heavy for the gun and without a booster, so it was likely failing to cycle each shot. Such a scenario would suggest incompetence on the part of the shooter, particularly if he appeared to plan the hit out without testing his weapon first.

On the other hand, if it was a bolt-action pistol, manaully cycling each shot would be par for the course with such a gun. Those who see the actions as a result of a malfunction question the shooter’s expertise, suggesting a lack of familiarity with the weapon.

However, the assailant’s deliberate actions—waiting outside the hotel for several minutes, wearing a mask to obscure his identity and fleeing the scene without leaving significant evidence—indicate a level of planning and operational awareness. The suspect appears to have been in New York City since November 24, having traveled by Greyhound bus originating from Atlanta, Georgia. He checked into the HI New York City Hostel on November 30 using a fake New Jersey driver’s license and paid in cash.

However, former NYPD inspector Paul Mauro cautioned against hastily labeling the shooter as a professional hitman, noting that such figures are more common in fiction than reality. The combination of tactical behavior and weapon handling has left experts divided on whether the shooter was a skilled assassin or an inexperienced individual attempting to appear like a professional killer.

Regardless of his shooting skills, he tragically succeeded in his efforts and a manhunt for the killer is underway. At the same time a group of doctor’s have urged the deregulation of suppressors for the benefit of shooters’ hearing, no doubt this crime will strike up the drum beat from anti-gun politicians to clamp down on the already severely regulated devices.