Jonathan Lemire: New York City police are still looking for the gunman who killed the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Brian Thompson was shot yesterday morning in Midtown, Manhattan just before he was set to speak at a conference at the bustling Hilton Hotel.
Surveillance video, which you can see here, shows that Thompson was walking alone from a nearby hotel when the suspect approaches him from behind and fires multiple rounds. The shooter, who was wearing a jacket, face mask and a large backpack, then fled on foot, got on a bike and went to Central Park, which is just a few blocks away. He remains at large.
Joining us now, New York City Mayor Eric Adams. Mr. Mayor, thank you for being here this morning to provide an update on this shooting. Do we have any further reporting this morning? NYPD’s confirmed overnight the shell casings were found at the scene with these words written on them: deny, defund, depose. They are healthcare related terms. They’re similar to a book that was written about problems with the healthcare insurance industry that came out a few years ago. Is that seen as a possible motive here?
Mayor Eric Adams: Pieces to the puzzle. They are still coming together, and no one does it better than the New York City Police Department. I was briefed this morning by the chief of detectives and chief of operation, deputy commissioner of Operations. We are on the right pathway, and we don’t want to do anything that’s going to not only impede the investigation, but hurt the prosecution of the person involved. But we feel that we’re moving at a steady pace, and we’re going to have someone apprehended.
Lemire: There was an assessment yesterday by the chief of detectives, I believe, who said that this appeared to be a targeted shooting, pointing to even the equipment, the suppressor on the gun and the way the gunman was laying in wait there. Is that still the belief?
Mayor Adams: We believe that it was definitely based on our preliminary review that it was not a random act of violence. We were concerned about that when it first came to light yesterday. But we don’t believe this is a random act of violence. We believe that this was clearly a targeted shooting.
And in all of my years of law enforcement, I have never seen a silencer before. And so that was really something that was shocking to us all. And so we’re on the right path, and we believe we’re going to apprehend this person.
Lemire: And this comes at a moment, of course, it is the peak of the holiday season here in New York City. The Christmas tree outside right here at Rockefeller Center lit last night. But people who are living in New York or thinking of visiting New York for the holidays, you don’t believe they have anything to worry about?
Mayor Adams: No, no, not at all. And crime is continuing to drop year over year. Our transit system is one of the lowest levels of crime in over 14 years of removing almost 20,000 guns off our streets. We should all be proud of the men and women of the New York City Police Department on how we’re able to have these major gatherings from the Thanksgiving Day parade to the tree lighting to the Israeli Day parade. And we’re able to do it with the level of safety. This is the safest big city in America.
Lemire: So we obviously, if there are any updates, we will bring them to the viewers as soon as we get them. But let’s we’re hoping to hit a couple other topics with you while you’re here. Mr. Mayor, you proposed yesterday a tax decrease for the working class. Axe the Tax for the working class. The name you gave it. Tell us a little bit about it.
Mayor Adams: Well we always like to attach names to what we do. It’s an important one. And not only have we heard through the national election, but we hear it every day. Everyday working class people in America are hurting and it’s becoming just unaffordable. And we need to find creative ways to put money back into the pockets of New Yorkers.
We found ways to do almost $30 billion back into the pockets of New Yorkers. And this is the latest of our initiative. 63 million dollars is going to be returned back to the pockets of over 582,000 New Yorkers. And it’s for those who are making below the federal poverty level 150 percent below the federal poverty level. What does that look like? A mother with a child making $31,000 a year. She’s going to be eligible for this. And this goes directly back into the pockets of New Yorkers.
Lemire: Do you feel like the results of this last election where Donald Trump made some surprising gains here in New York City showcase that people are simply upset with simply the working class voters in particular with the cost of living?
Mayor Adams: I’ve been saying this for years. Broken class people. And when you add this with our earned income tax credit, when you look at how we decreased the court brought the metro card for low income New Yorkers, reducing the cost of childcare from $55 a week to less than $5 a week. You see how we understood from day one that we had to go after working class people. And we saw how frustrated they are. They don’t see a future for themselves, and we have to make sure we address that.
Lemire: So, Mr. Mayor, just last week, a judge ruled that your federal corruption trial will begin on April 21st, which would be during the midst of your potential reelection campaign. What do you say to… There have been voices, including some from city officials who have asked you to resign, saying that you will not be able to effectively govern while this trial is going on. What’s your answer to them?
Mayor Adams: Look at what we’ve done. Continu[ing] to bring down crime. We’ve just passed one of the most comprehensive housing reform in the history of this city. City of Yes is going to be voted on today in the City Council. We have continued to move forward from continuing to make the city safe. Our job numbers are the most in our city history. What we’re doing in education. We have to be able to move forward. I was elected to run the city. My attorneys will handle the case. I’m going to continue my commitment to do that.
Lemire: And you still plan to stand for reelection?
Mayor Adams: Yes, I am. We are very clear this city in three in two years and 11 months. What we have accomplished. No one thought we were going to do. They stated it was going to take five years to turn around our economy. We did it in two years and 10 months, and we continue to be the safest big city in America. So I look forward to put in my successes up against any candidate that’s running.
Joe Scarborough: Let me ask you about crime. You look at the overall numbers macro. The numbers do look like they’re going down, but there are incidences obviously the disturbing concern. New Yorkers, obviously a stabbing spree downtown that really shook the entire neighborhood.
On the Upper West Side, crime is going up. Random stabbings, random beatings. A lot of concern on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. And also let me just ask you. So there’s the crime numbers that show crime is going down. And yet people go into CVS, Walgreens, other stores, and toothpaste is still locked up. That doesn’t feel very safe to them. What is the disconnect there?
Mayor Adams: Well, you know, when you have toothpaste locked up, when you have people placing security measures on their cars, those [are] a symbol of urban surrender. And not only must people be safe, I stated January 1st, 2022, but they must feel safe. And that is the omnipresence of our law enforcement officers.
1,600 new cops are going to join our new police commissioner, Commissioner Tisch. We’re going to see that omnipresence, when we saw that slight increase in crime on our subway system. We immediately saw the deployment of 1,000 new officers because people must feel safe.
But let’s not ignore the three areas that are really impacting us. Random acts of violence, people with severe mental health illness and repeated offenders. That is what we must zero in on. And when you look at the three innocent New York is stabbed, severe mental health illness. When you look at those who are committing these repeated offenders offenses, that is impacting us. The police, the NYPD is doing their job. Now we need lawmakers to join us and become a partner in those two areas.
Lemire: So, Mr. Mayor, President-elect Trump has said that when he takes office in less than two months now, first order of business is going to be deportation of immigrants who are not here legally. And his appointed border czar has said the municipalities who don’t cooperate, there’ll be federal funding withheld.
He’s even threatened perhaps the local officials who say no to these plans who stand in the way might be subject to arrest. What is New York City? What is your stance as mayor of New York City going to do with this Trump deportation plan?
Mayor Adams: I am looking forward to sit down speaking with the borders czar next week. I believe we have a meeting on the 12th, and I want to hear the actual plan. How are we going to actually operationalize this plan?
I have not been silent on my feeling for those who commit serious crimes in our city and those who are repeated offenders in our city, particularly violent crimes. We’re not talking about those who steal an apple. We’re talking about those who are shooting at police officers, raping individuals, and I would like to hear the borders czar’s plan on addressing that.
Lemire: What would you say, though, to residents of your city who are their only crime perhaps to being here illegally? You have committed no violent offense, but who are living in fear they may be taken from their homes, some of them longtime homes because of this policy.
Mayor Adams: Well, we’re very clear in the city. These cities have laws. I questioned the sanctuary city law that we have in place. I think we went too far by not cooperating with ICE with someone who is a violent offender. But we’re telling our residents here if you have children, put them in school. If you need medical care of medical facilities, we do so. If you’re a victim of a crime, you don’t have to be afraid to go to the police. That is what we do in this city. This is a city of immigrants, this is a country of immigrants, and our immigrants have played a major role in this city, and we’re gonna continue to give them the support that they need.
Molly Jong Fast: People are scared, and you have an opportunity here to let them know that they will be protected. Some of these people, explain to us how you can do that.
Mayor Adams: We’ve done it already. National leaders came to this city and saw what we did with the migrants and asylum seekers, $20,000, $6.4 billion. We will allow them to get TPS, work authorization. We advocated, went to Washington 10 times. No one has done it better than New York City.
Now it’s time for the federal government to do what the American people ask for, secure our borders, and come with comprehensive immigration reform. So cities like New York and Chicago and Los Angeles should not do the job of a national government.
Lemire: One more question for you, Mr. Mayor. For the president-elect at the Al Smith Dinner, a few weeks ago, evoked you and showed some common ground about how you both have been persecuted by the Department of Justice.
You’ve been obviously very critical of the charges against you, to the point where some of your fellow Democrats in New York have wondered if you’re cozying up to the president-elect, either for a pardon or for an administration job. Do you have a response to their comments?
Mayor Adams: Well, I think if you do an analysis of my life and what I’ve stood for as a police officer, as a state senator and a borough president, you see the consistency. The public safety was a prerequisite to prosperity of the city and country. And I believe in working class people have not changed, no matter who the president may have been at the time.
What I’m going through right now, no American should go through that. And not only did I state that we politicize our DOJ, but also the president, Biden, stated that. President Trump stated that. And when you have mothers placed on FBI watch lists for standing up for their children, something is wrong. And we have to be honest about it. We have to do a real analysis. And we must make sure that not in this country, things like this happens.
Lemire: Alright, we have to leave it there, but New York City Mayor Eric Adams covering a lot of ground for us this morning. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Adams: Thank you, good to see you both.
December 5, 2024
Sources: NYC.gov , Midtown Tribune
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