The masked gunman killed The leader of America’s largest health insurance company was on the run Friday as the nation’s largest police department hunted him, appearing in front of surveillance cameras in Manhattan.
United Healthcare CEO brian thompson50, died in an ambush early Wednesday morning. Ms. Thompson was walking to the company’s annual investor conference at the Hilton in Midtown, a tourist hub that includes Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art.
The ammunition was found stamped with the words “reject,” “defense,” and “abandonment.” echo a phrase It is being used by critics of the insurance industry, two law enforcement officials told The Associated Press on Thursday on condition of anonymity. This is because they are not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation.
Police also found a water bottle and a protein bar wrapper in a trash can near the ambush site, and said they believe the suspect had purchased them at Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being inspected by the city medical examiner.
New York police crime scene investigators investigate bullets lying on the sidewalk at the scene outside the Midtown Manhattan Hilton Hotel where UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in New York, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. members of the group. (AP Photo/Stephen Jeremiah)
what happened?
Police said Thompson was on his way to the company’s annual investor conference at the Hilton Midtown in New York around 6:45 a.m. when he was shot by someone who approached him from behind.
Police said Thompson was alone and had no bodyguards.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenney said officers found a man lying on the ground with injuries to his back and right calf. The CEO was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital at 7:12 a.m.
The masked gunman who killed the CEO of United Healthcare on a Manhattan sidewalk used ammunition with the words “deny,” “defense,” and “banish,” according to law enforcement officials. Here’s what we know so far:
What do we know about this shooter?
Kenney said the suspect was wearing a black face mask, black and white sneakers and was carrying a distinctive gray backpack.
He arrived outside the hotel about five minutes before Ms Thompson, ignored other pedestrians and waited, then approached Ms Thompson from behind.
Kenney said his 9mm pistol jammed after the assailant began firing, but he quickly fixed it and continued firing.
“From watching the video, he appears to be skilled in the use of firearms. He was able to quickly resolve the malfunction,” Kenney said.
The suspect fled into an alley near the hotel, then rode an electric bike to Central Park.
Police initially said the suspect entered Central Park on a bike from the city’s bike-sharing program, CitiBike. However, a spokesperson for Lyft, which runs the program, said Wednesday afternoon that law enforcement officials had notified the company that the bikes did not belong to Citi Bike.
Kenney said police found a cellphone in the alley, but it was unclear whether it belonged to the shooter.
This image provided by the New York City Police Department is wanted for questioning in connection with the investigation into the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. (New York City Police Department, Associated Press)
What do we know about search?
Investigators believe the gunman may have traveled to New York last month on a bus from Atlanta and checked into a hostel at some point, law enforcement officials said.
One official said police and federal agents are gathering information from Greyhound to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether Greyhound bought a ticket to New York in late November. It is said that there is.
police Published photos A person wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting was photographed Thursday inside the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
One official who spoke to The Associated Press said investigators believe the suspect used a fake New Jersey ID to check into the hostel.
Hostel workers said they remembered the man wearing a mask almost all of his interactions. The person was wearing a jacket similar to the one worn by a man seen in surveillance images released after the shooting, the official said.
Spokesman Daniel Brumfitt said the hostel was cooperating with police but could not comment on the investigation.
This undated photo provided by UnitedHealth Group shows UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (AP Photo/UnitedHealth Group, via AP)
Who is Brian Thompson?
Mr. Thompson was chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare, the insurance division of parent company UnitedHealth Group.
He has been with the Minnetonka, Minn.-based company for 20 years and has led its insurance division since 2021. He was one of the company’s highest-paid executives, with annual compensation of $10.2 million.
thompson I tried to keep a low profileUnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Whitty has taken on a more public role, including testifying before Congress.
Thompson began his career as a certified public accountant and graduated from the University of Iowa. He lived in Maple Grove, a suburb of Minneapolis, and was a married father of two sons in high school.
His wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that her husband had told him that some people were threatening him. She did not provide details, but suggested there may have been a problem with insurance coverage.
Maple Grove Police Chief Eric Warner said the department has not received any reports of threats against officers.
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Associated Press writers Mike Balsamo in Washington and Jake Offenharts in New York contributed to this report.
