THE hunt for the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has hit a roadblock, despite officers tracking him to the hostel he was staying at before the assassination.
Police earlier released a picture of the suspect smiling after searching the hostel where the killer is believed to have stayed before the brazen execution in midtown Manhattan.
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Cops have released a new photo of the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in a brazen attack in midtown ManhattanCredit: NYPD
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The suspect was seen riding his bicycle down the street just 15 minutes after the attack, authorities say
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A second image was released by officers on Thursday, a day after Thompson was killed during the morning rush hourCredit: NYPD
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CEO Thompson, 50, was rushed to hospital but died from his injuriesCredit: AFP
Earlier Thursday, new footage was released showing the suspect riding his bike out of Central Park just 15 minutes after Thompson was killed.
But despite this evidence, along with shell casings, a discarded water bottle and a cell phone, the killer is still at large.
The healthcare executive, 50, died after being shot in the back as he arrived at the New York Hilton Midtown around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday.
A breakthrough in the brutal killing came Thursday afternoon, when police released two new photos of a man they said was a person of interest wanted for questioning.
The young man smiles in pictures that show him wearing a beige hoodie and jacket at the Upper West Side hostel where police believe the killer was staying.
What we know
- The search for the killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson previously focused on the hostel where he is believed to have been staying.
- Officers were spotted at a youth hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
- Sources said he appeared to be wearing a mask most of the time he was staying at the hostel.
- The suspect was reportedly seen in a nearby apartment building before the shooting.
- Detectives believe the gunman may have been an experienced shooter, based on the way he acted.
- There is all speculation that the words “delay” and “delay” written on the bullets used by the killer may refer to a 2010 book about insurance companies defaulting on claims.
- Major health care providers stepped up personal protection for their top executives after the shooting.
The suspect reportedly wore a face mask most of the time at the hostel and used a fake ID to check in.
“We are cooperating fully with the NYPD and, as this is an active investigation, we are unable to comment at this time,” a spokesperson for HI New York City Hostel told US Sun.
The raid on the hostel came after officers recovered a phone from an alleyway near the Hilton, which they believe belonged to the killer.
They obtained a search warrant to unlock the phone and examine its contents, but ran into a roadblock as they allegedly couldn’t get into the device.
The suspect was previously captured on surveillance video talking to someone on the phone before the murder, raising questions about whether he had help in the sick plot.
The suspect can also be seen on security footage buying coffee, a bottle of water and two PowerBars at a nearby Starbucks blocks from the hotel moments before the shooting.
Officers dug up a bottle and a coffee mug from a nearby trash can, but were told they were having trouble because the fingerprint on the water bottle was smudged.
Investigators are also looking into the purchase of a gun that resembles the weapon used in the shooting, the New York Times reported.
The purchase of a rare World War II handgun was made in Connecticut, but officers are still investigating whether the suspect is the gun’s buyer.
TIMELINE OF THE ATTACK
A man matching the description of the killer, wearing a dark jacket, hat, mask and a gray backpack, can be seen talking on the phone as he walks towards the Hilton Hotel around 6:30am.
He arrived at the hotel five minutes before the shooting and was waiting for Thompson, who was coming to the hotel for a conference for investors.
The disturbing video showed the gunman pumping multiple bullets into Thompson as he arrived at the luxury hotel.
The killer appeared to be a skilled marksman, law enforcement sources said, using a silencer and shooting Thompson from about 20 feet away.
He was also able to quickly recover when his gun appeared to jam multiple times during the shootout, fixing the problem and continuing to fire as the CEO desperately tried to crawl away.
Thompson, a married father, was rushed to Mount Sinai West Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m., police said.
After the shooting, the killer got on his bicycle and rode north on Sixth Avenue, fleeing to nearby Central Park where surveillance camera coverage is weaker.
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He was seen on his phone after the murderCredit: WABC
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Police officers at the scene of the shooting outside the New York Hilton Midtown Credit: EPA
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The gruesome video shows the gunman opening fire on Thompson outside the hotelCredit: Reuters
The gray backpack the suspect was carrying appears to be one sold by Peak Design.
The bags produced by the company sell for up to $330.
The company’s chief executive, Peter Daring, said he received about a dozen messages after the shooting from people saying the killer appeared to be wearing a Peak Design backpack.
MYSTERIOUS MOTIVE
A motive for the killing has not yet been released, but police believe Thompson was “specifically targeted.”
Forensic teams discovered a gruesome message left on the bullets used by the killer to kill Thompson in cold blood.
The words “deny,” “take down” and “defend” were found on bullets and shell casings at the scene, police sources told the New York Post.
Those words could have been a reference to the book Delay, Deny, Defend, which talked about insurance companies and why they refuse to pay claims.
There is speculation that the killer may have been a disgruntled UnitedHealthcare patient seeking some form of revenge.
The book’s author, Jay M. Feinman, declined to speak after the murder.
The NYPD has offered a $10,000 reward for information about the killer.
Police urged the public to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS with any information.
Timeline of Brian Thompson’s murder
BRIAN Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed, and a desperate search is underway for his killer.
Here’s what we know so far about Thompson’s murder.
December 2 – Thompson travels from his home in Minnesota to New York for an investor conference in midtown Manhattan.
December 4, 6:45 a.m. – Thompson walks from his hotel across the street to the New York Hilton Midtown and is shot dead by a masked shooter. The execution was caught on surveillance, and the suspect was seen riding his bicycle toward Central Park. The police launched a city-wide search for the killer.
December 4, Later That Morning – News broke, the shooting victim was Thompson, who was the CEO of America’s largest private healthcare provider. Cops released disturbing images of the execution, offered a reward for information and desperately asked New Yorkers to keep their eyes out.
Dec. 4, afternoon – Thompson’s estranged wife, Paulette, revealed that her husband had been threatened before he was shot.
Dec. 4, afternoon – Cops have released more gruesome pictures of the suspect ordering from Starbucks that partially reveal his face. The US Sun confirmed the cafe was just two blocks away from the shooting, but it’s unclear when he stopped by.
December 5, morning – Reports claim that the words “deny”, “reject” and “defend” were engraved on live bullets and shell casings left behind by the killer. These words echo the book Delay, Deny, Defend, which talks about the shortcomings of the healthcare industry. The author of the book had no comments on the reports.
December 5, morning – Officers searched a hostel on the Upper West Side of New York City where the suspect was allegedly staying. He is believed to have worn a mask most of the time he was there.
December 5th, morning – Pictured is a person of interest in Thompson’s murder. In the photo, he is wearing a hood, but you could see his full face breaking into a bright smile. However, no one has been arrested in the investigation.
On Thursday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed shock at the shooting.
“In all my years in law enforcement, I’ve never seen a silencer before,” he said.
“And so it was really something that was shocking to all of us.”
He said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe that he believed investigators would “arrest a person” soon.
TRIBUTE PAID
Meanwhile, Thompson’s wife, Paulette, said her husband had received threats in the run-up to the murder.
A fake bomb threat directed at Thompson’s home was sent approximately 12 hours after his murder, TMZ reported.
It was also revealed that the couple had become estranged, with the pair living in separate homes less than a mile apart in the suburb of Maple Grove, Minnesota.
An emotional Paulette paid tribute to her late husband in a statement.
“Brian was an incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives,” she said.
“Most importantly, Brian was incredibly loving to our two sons and we will miss him dearly.”
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Police found a phone they believe belonged to the killer at the sceneCredit: Getty
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Thompson, who had a salary of $9.9 million, was scheduled to speak at an investor conference Credit: UnitedHealth Group
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The killer was spotted at a nearby Starbucks a few minutes before the shootingCredit: AP
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After the murder, the attacker left on a bicycle and disappeared in Central ParkCredit: AFP
Thompson, who has been CEO of America’s largest private health insurer since April 2021, earned a salary of nearly $9.9 million.
He had been with the company for 20 years and was reportedly under investigation by the Justice Department at the time of his death.
Thompson, along with fellow CEOs Stephen Helmsley, Erin McSweeney and Tom Roos, faced a DOJ investigation after making a total of $101.5 million in stock sales during the four months before the federal antitrust investigation became public knowledge .
On February 16, less than two weeks before news of the investigation broke, Thompson exercised stock options and sold $15.1 million worth of stock.
Thompson was assigned an internal security detail during his trip to New York City, the source said, but that detail was not with him at the time of the shooting.
But a former senior director of security at another major insurance company told CNN it’s often difficult to get executives to buy into security even when faced with threats.
Other health care providers stepped up security for their executives after Thompson’s murder.
UnitedHealth Group statement on Brian Thompson
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in a brazen attack on December 4 as he was leaving a New York hotel. Parent company UnitedHealth Group released the following statement:
“We are deeply saddened and shocked by the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare.
“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him.
“We are working closely with the NYPD and ask for your patience and understanding at this difficult time.
“Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and everyone who was close to him.”
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