New York City Police believe the suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson fled the city by bus. The shooting happened Wednesday morning outside a hotel near Radio City Music Hall where Thompson was attending a company conference.
Chief of detectives Joseph Kenny said police are looking into whether the shooter was an upset employee or client.
Video footage reportedly shows the gunman cycling into Central Park after the shooting, then taking a taxi to a bus terminal with routes to New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, DC Police have video of him entering, but not leaving, the station. A backpack belonging to the shooter was recovered in Central Park after an extensive search.
Investigators are examining a discarded water bottle and protein bar wrapper for DNA and trying to get information from a cellphone found on the escape route.
The gunman arrived in New York City on November 24 by bus from Atlanta, making several stops along the way. Surveillance footage shows him in various Manhattan locations in the days before the shooting, seemingly paying with cash.
Photos of the suspect, taken at a hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, have been released. The photos show him smiling and unmasked. Kenny explained that the suspect flirted with the hostel employee, removing his mask at her request. He apparently used a fake ID and paid cash. Investigators also believe he had firearms training.
Security video shows the shooter approaching Thompson from behind and firing multiple shots with a silenced gun. The words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” were written on the ammunition. Thompson, a father of two, lived in a Minneapolis suburb and had been with UnitedHealthcare since 2004.
UnitedHealth Group abruptly ended its investor conference following Thompson’s death. He was on his way to the event when he was killed. In a statement, the company said, “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of support.”
UnitedHealthcare provides coverage for over 49 million Americans. The shooting has prompted increased security concerns across the healthcare industry.
