Former Washington Post journalist Taylor Lorenz sparked outrage after she appeared to support the killing of the UnitedHealth CEO while highlighting the misdeeds of another.
Lorenz, once a rising star on the Internet, published a series of controversial posts about Bluesky shortly after Thompson was killed in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday.
“Woke up to see this being spammed in my group chats,” Lorenz wrote alongside a celebratory image that read “CEO DOWN.”
“People have a very justified hatred of insurance company CEOs because these executives are responsible for an unfathomable amount of death and suffering,” she wrote in another post.
“As someone against death and suffering, I think it is right to expose this broken system and the people in power who make it possible.”
In perhaps the most shocking post, Lorenz shared a news story about Blue Cross Blue Shield, announcing that in some states they would not cover anesthesia for the full duration of certain surgeries.
She wrote, “And people wonder why we want these executives dead.”
She then added the information and a photo of Blue Cross CEO Kim Keck in an apparent attempt to steer an online mob toward the medical director, before insisting that she only wanted people’ peacefully’ would write to complain.
Journalist Taylor Lorenz has sparked outrage after appearing to support the murder of UnitedHelathcare CEO Brian Thompson
‘Care is a human right. We need universal health care now.”
Lorenz continued to defend her hatred of healthcare CEOs as her comments went viral and sparked outrage.
“Austen Rief seems to be trying to run an outrage campaign about a journalist reporting on the sentiment surrounding a viral news event,” she replied to an X-user who noted that she seemed to be celebrating Thompson’s murder.
After another
This isn’t the first time Lorenz has been in trouble for her social media activities. Her tenure at both The New York Times and the Washington Post was hampered by her online scandals.
Lorenz recently left mainstream media to become independent, meaning she is no longer subject to the social media rules enforced by traditional media outlets.
The move came after editors at the Washington Post raised concerns about her calling Joe Biden a “war criminal” on social media.
Earlier this week, Lorenz was mercilessly mocked online after she said those who refused to wear masks were “chasing the sky.”
“I love it when people find pictures of my mask off for five seconds outside for a photo at my book party where every attendee had to take a PCR test, like some kind of gotcha,” she raged.
“Planning a safe COVID book launch took months and THOUSANDS of my own dollars, ensuring testing, outdoor space, far UV lights, and a litany of other precautions.
“Meanwhile, you stupid bastards are chasing the sky and spewing your disease-laden breath on your elderly neighbors. We are not the same.’
Lorenz’s comments about Thomson came as investigators searched for clues that could help them identify the masked gunman who stalked and killed the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurers, then disappeared in Central Park.
Police have used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intensive search, but the killer’s whereabouts remain unknown until Thursday morning.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that while investigators had not yet determined a motive, the shooting was not a random act of violence.
Police released several surveillance images of Thompson’s killer, who was wearing a hooded jacket and a mask that hid most of his face and would not have attracted attention on a frigid winter day.
Some of the photos were taken at a Starbucks coffee shop shortly before the shooting.
This isn’t the first time Lorenz has been in trouble for her social media activities. Her tenure at both The New York Times and the Washington Post was hampered by her online scandals
Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot dead outside the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday
Police offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Officials are investigating whether the killer fled on an unmarked e-bike, and not a Citi Bike, as authorities had pointedly said.
Police do not want to give any further details about where the killer might be.
But NYPD officials say they do not believe he poses a threat to the public given the targeted nature of the attack on Thompson.
“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” UnitedHealth Group Inc., the insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, said in a statement.
“We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”