Etsy, TikTok Shop, eBay, and Redbubble are just a few of the e-commerce sites where vendors are selling goods with designs influenced by the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Following the discovery of bullet shell casings bearing the words “Deny,” “Defend,” and “Depose” at the crime scene, NBC News examined more than 100 item listings for T-shirts, hoodies, stickers, mugs, and even fake bullets and Christmas ornaments bearing those words (the police later clarified that the word “Defend” actually meant “Delay”).
Drawings or photos of the shooter from the original footage of the incident are featured on some of the items. Luigi Mangione, a suspect, was accused of murder.Monday. The incident has generated a lot of internet hype, with many individuals mocking or even cheering the murder. Many people have shared stories of being denied coverage, being mistreated, and experiencing financial hardship inside the health insurance system, which has led many to interpret Thompson’s targeting and the shooter’s message as a reflection on the status of the industry.
Two sons were born to Thompson. His family said in a statement that he will be sorely missed and described him as a very talented, caring, and giving man who lived life to the fullest and touched many people.
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The products, including T-shirts, adds to the wave of emotion surrounding the shooting. Many of the designs seem to be sold using print on demand, a business strategy that eliminates the need for sellers to maintain inventory by producing goods only in response to requests. Notwithstanding problems like widespread copyright infringement, the unrestrained print-on-demand sector has kept growing.
Some designs more overtly glorify or promote violence, while many products simply display the inscriptions left on the bullet shell casings. Target symbols, firearms, and guillotines are included in several of the designs.
Selling things that celebrate violence is prohibited on Redbubble, eBay, TikTok Shop, and Etsy. According to a comment from an eBay official, selling products that contain the word “Deny” is not prohibited under eBay policy. Protect. However, it is forbidden to depose anything that encourages or glorifies violence, such as those that commemorate the recent killing of UHC CEO Brian Thompson. Requests for comment were not immediately answered by TikTok, Redbubble, or Etsy.
One seller told NBC News that he intends to contribute any profits he makes to a charity that helps victims pay their medical expenses, despite the fact that the growing market for shooting-related products seems to be primarily for-profit, with prices ranging from $2.99 to over $70 for a blanket.
Michael, the graphic designer for one of the merchandise versions, spoke under the proviso that his last name not be used because he was afraid of the consequences for his career. Michael mentioned a moniker that some people online have begun using to refer to the shooter, The Adjuster, in a TikTok video that has received nearly two million views.
Michael stated in the video, “I think he needs a badass superhero logo to go with it if we’re going to give him a badass superhero name.” He flipped and repurposed the UnitedHealthcare logo to feature an A and the words Deny, Defend and Depose. Michael is selling the design on two different T-shirts and two hoodies on Etsy, and he said he got more than two dozen orders in less than 24 hours, making it his fastest-selling design.
I don t personally believe in violence, but I have a problem with their entire business making money off people suffering and dying, Michael said about the health insurance industry and his reasons for making the design. I think health care should be free; I think a lot of people feel that way. Even though it s not the way we d go about it, we re tired about not seeing anything get done.
Michael said that it didn t surprise him that the print-on-demand industry was capitalizing on what he considers an anti-capitalist movement but that he didn t want to personally profit from someone s death. He said he was inspired to create the design after he saw a flood of content on TikTok over the weekend that framed the shooter as a hero and an outlaw, including original folk songs about the shooting. Pictures of stickers and other artwork that said Deny, Defend and Depose at craft fairs over the weekend have also gained traction online.
I always wondered why people root for guys robbing trains, and then you realize how corrupt banks are, and then you re like, I kind of get it, Michael said. It says something about society that we can relate to the killer more than the billionaire and his family.
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