Now an insurance industry mogul has been shot down in cold-blooded murder in Manhattan and the suspect is not losing any popularity for his deed. These are the signs of the time.

The murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson went down on a public sidewalk in front of an upscale Manhattan hotel. Ironically, Thompson was on his way to speak at his corporation’s investor conference. Thompson has kept his investors happy and extraordinarily rich. Not only is UHC the insurance kingpin in this country, but it also dominates the global insurance market. The corporation has an estimated net worth of $550 billion because it leads the industry in claim denials.

The motive of the perpetrator was pretty clear to most. Left at the murder scene were three marked bullet casings. The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were reportedly written on the casings. These seemingly harmless words are part of the title from a book written almost 15 years ago by Rutgers University law professor Jay Feinman. Delay Deny Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It is a long title but long is the history of the unfair claim practices. Practices that have resulted in financial ruin and even preventable deaths for consumers.

The news of the murder brought an avalanche of public vitriol. While most people will say they are not celebrating Thompson’s death, some will admit it has a karmic tone to it. The internet came alive with personal stories of interactions with the infamous insurance industry.

The estimated $5 trillion medical industrial complex is composed of hospitals, Big Pharma, insurance companies and a conglomerate of health facilities and suppliers. I call it the unwell system because there’s basically no delivery of health care with a goal of wellness. It is a system that is designed to keep us sick and exploit all the medical situations from surgeries to prescriptions.

Thompson’s ambush has flipped the healthcare system on its back to reveal the ugly underbelly and its greedy, insensitive policies when it comes to caring for this nation’s unhealthy and critically ill citizens. This is our teachable moment to take a hard look at these practices and make meaningful changes. Instead of meeting to see how to revamp the industry and make it more humane and equitable, industry cronies went on the defense. They convened to discuss heightened security measures for their CEOs and other prominent shareholders. This included snatching photos and bios from websites of said potential targets. They are trying to make themselves invisible when the suffering they create is brutally and unmistakably obvious.

The murder and mayhem caused by the healthcare industry may not always be as evident as three shots in the back of a CEO. I believe there is some criminality in the practice of denying people coverage for procedures that results in death. We cannot let them go underground until the heat blows over. We can’t let them get away with murder. They must be held accountable.

This is also an opportunity for those of us who believe in healthcare for all to organize for these life-saving reforms. Trust me, there will be many more of us getting sick under the trump’s regime, especially given his kooky choice for head of Health and Human Services.

A person of interest in the New York attack has been charged. I cringe to think this may be the end of a story that touched the soul of millions. It’s like a collective traumatic experience that has been triggered by the murder of Thompson. The practice of this country is to ignore events that create trauma, and to disregard the harm they cause. The ultimate conviction of a person-of-interest-turned-accused cannot be the bow that wraps up the endemic problem of a corrupt and inhumane system.

Brian Thompson was worth $43 million at the time of his death. The victims of the health insurance industry are often seen as having little value, even in death. Our loved ones do have value, not the kind calculated by market capitalism. We have a right to the best healthcare in the world because it is a human right.