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  • February 18, 2025
Merchandise glorifying the killer of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO is flooding online stores

Merchandise glorifying the killer of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO is flooding online stores

Photo illustration of Etsy advertisement screenshots "merchandise" related to the United HealthCare shooter (NBC News; Getty Images; Etsy)

NBC News reviewed more than 100 product listings glorifying the murder.

On e-commerce platforms like Etsy, TikTok Shop, eBay, and Redbubble, sellers sell merchandise with designs inspired by the fatal shooting from UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

NBC News reviewed more than 100 item deals for T-shirts, hoodies, stickers, mugs and even fake bullets and Christmas ornaments with the words “Deny,” “Defend” and “Depose” after bullet casings were found with those words written on it at the scene of the crime (the word “Defend” was later clarified by the police as “Delay”).

Some of the merchandise features drawings or images of the shooter from the initial video of the shooting. One suspect, Luigi Mangione, was accused of murder Monday. There has been significant online marching band surrounding the shooting, with many people downplaying or outright celebrating the murder. Thompson’s targeting and the shooter’s message have been widely interpreted as commentary on the state of the health insurance industry, with many people sharing stories of the denial of coverage, abuse and financial hardship they have faced within the system.

Thompson was the father of two sons. In a statement, his family called him an “incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives” and said he will be “dearly missed.”

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The T-shirts and other merchandise tap into the wave of sentiment surrounding the shooting. Many of the designs appear to be sold via print on demand, a business model in which items are only produced after the order is received, so sellers don’t have to keep inventory on hand. The freewheeling print-on-demand industry has continued to grow despite problems such as rampant copyright infringement.

While many of the products only feature the messages left on the bullet casings, other designs more explicitly glorify or encourage violence. Some designs include guillotines, guns and target symbols.

Etsy, Redbubble, TikTok Shop and eBay all ban the sale of items that glorify violence. In a statement, an eBay representative said: “EBay policy does not prohibit the sale of items containing the phrase ‘Deny. Defend. Depose.’ However, items that glorify or incite violence, including items celebrating the recent murder of UHC CEO Brian Thompson, are prohibited.” Etsy, Redbubble and TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

While the growing market for merchandise related to the shooting appears to be largely for profit, with prices ranging from $2.99 ​​to more than $70 for a blanket, one seller told NBC News he plans to use the proceeds he deserves to donate to a charity that helps people pay their medical bills.

The graphic designer behind one version of the merchandise, Michael, spoke on the condition that his last name be withheld because he feared professional repercussions. In a TikTok video With nearly 2 million views, Michael referenced a nickname that some people online have started using to refer to the shooter: “The Adjuster.”

“If we’re going to give him a badass superhero name, I think he needs a badass superhero logo to go with it,” Michael said in the video. He turned the UnitedHealthcare logo around and repurposed it to include an “A” and the words “Deny,” “Defend” and “Depose.” Michael sells the design for two different T-shirts and two hoodies on Etsy, and he said he received more than 20 orders in less than 24 hours, making it his fastest-selling design.

“I personally don’t believe in violence, but I have a problem with their entire company making money off people suffering and dying,” Michael said of the health insurance industry and his reasons for creating the design. “I believe healthcare should be free; I think a lot of people feel that way. Even if this is not the way we would go about it, we are tired of nothing being done.”

Michael said he wasn’t surprised that the print-on-demand industry benefited from what he considers an anti-capitalist movement, but that he didn’t want to personally benefit from anyone’s death. He said he was inspired to create the design after seeing a flood of content on TikTok over the weekend that portrayed the shooter as a hero and a bandit, including original folk songs about the shooting. Images of stickers and other artwork reading “Deny,” “Defend” and “Depose” at craft fairs this weekend have also gained popularity online.

“I’ve always wondered why people are in favor of guys robbing trains, and then you realize how corrupt banks are, and you’re like, ‘I get it,’” Michael said. “It says something about society that we can relate more to the murderer than to the billionaire and his family.”