‘Possible threat’ graffitied on UnitedHealth Group building in Las Vegas
Las Vegas police are investigating graffiti left on UnitedHealth Group’s local office last week that mirrored language used by the suspect in the shooting death earlier this month of the top executive of its subsidiary, UnitedHealthcare.
The graffiti’s words — “deny,” “depose” and “defend” — were a perceived threat, according to audio of a 911 call by a UnitedHealth Group employee.
Those words were similar to the three words found inscribed on ammunition found near the body of Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare, after he was shot and killed on the streets of Manhattan on Dec. 4: “delay,” “deny” and “depose” — words said to be commonly used to describe practices used by insurance companies to deny claims.
A UnitedHealth Group employee called the police Thursday morning to report the graffiti had appeared overnight at the company’s corporate office at 2720 N. Tenaya Way.
“We’re thinking it’s a possible threat,” the caller told police, according to a recording of the call shared with the Review-Journal. The person, whose name was redacted, requested police response to the building.
The caller told a dispatcher that although there was footage of the incident, the company couldn’t share it with police because of a contract with an external security company.
UnitedHealth Group did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday. A Review-Journal photographer who visited the office Saturday was asked to leave the property.
The Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that police responded to a call in the 2700 block of Tenaya Way regarding the destruction of private property and that no arrest had been made. Police said the investigation into this incident is still ongoing.
Luigi Mangione, the suspect charged in the death of Thompson, was indicted on a first-degree murder charge Tuesday.
“We are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson,” the UnitedHealth Group said in a statement published on the company’s website. “Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.”
UnitedHealth Group also said in a statement published on the site that Mangione and his parents were not UnitedHealthcare members.
Contact Estelle Atkinson at eatkinson@reviewjournal.com. Follow @estellelilym on X and @estelleatkinson.bsky.social on Bluesky. Review-Journal staff writer Alan Halaly contributed to this report.
