UnitedHealthcare CEO capturing: NYPD checking if suspected shooter of Brian Thompson left NYC on bus

NEW YORK — The investigation into and seek for the masked gunman who stalked and killed the pinnacle of UnitedHealthcare has moved into its third day on Friday.

Doable leads have emerged about his journey earlier than the capturing and a message scrawled on ammunition discovered on the crime scene.

CEO Brian Thompson, 50, was killed round 6:45 a.m. Wednesday exterior the New York Hilton in what police described as a “brazen focused assault.” He was on the town from Minnesota for his firm’s investor convention.

The suspected killer of Thompson entered New York Metropolis by bus November 24, when a surveillance digital camera at Port Authority Bus Terminal caught his arrival at 9 p.m., legislation enforcement sources informed ABC Information.

Authorities are nonetheless working to find out the place the suspect boarded the inbound Greyhound bus he took to New York Metropolis however sources stated he was noticed on board in Washington, D.C., so he boarded there or someplace between D.C. and Atlanta.

Police are investigating whether or not the suspect additionally left town by bus the day of the capturing December 4.

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Investigators additionally imagine they have been in a position to rating DNA samples from a number of items of proof found at or close to the homicide scene, legislation enforcement sources informed ABC Information.

The samples are at present on the Workplace of the Chief Medical Examiner to be run by means of databases for attainable match, the sources stated. That course of might take a few days.

Police have been additionally in a position to extract a fingerprint off the water bottle the suspect acquired at a Starbucks, however the fingerprint is smudged. It is unclear to what extent the fingerprint will likely be useful within the seek for a killer.

THE INVESTIGATION

The ten-day interval between the suspect’s arrival and the homicide is the main target of investigative efforts.

Police have collected a trove of surveillance video of the suspect everywhere in the metropolis – within the subway, in cabs, in a McDonald’s and in a Starbucks. Every place he paid with money and he made positive to maintain his masks on, which point out to detectives he knew he was coming to town to commit the homicide.

A Greyhound spokesperson stated they’re cooperating with the NYPD investigation, however stated they “can not present additional remark presently.”

Police sources additionally informed ABC Information that the suspect checked into the HI New York Metropolis Hostel positioned at 104th Road and Amsterdam on the Higher West Aspect on November 30. It is believed he arrived within the metropolis previous to that date and detectives proceed their video canvass to achieve a fuller image of his actions.

The brand new developments come after the NYPD launched new images of the suspect and not using a masks Thursday, apparently from when he stayed on the hostel.

A legislation enforcement supply informed our sister station, ABC7 Eyewitness Information in New York, that the suspect’s unmasked smile got here as he flirted with the entrance desk clerk who checked him into the hostel, and inspired him to drop the masks so she might see his smile. The suspect obliged, pulling his masks down lengthy sufficient for the surveillance digital camera to seize his face.

New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams stated on Friday that the NYPD is “on the pathway to carry this particular person to justice,” saying detectives are making vital progress, citing the un-masked picture.

“This particular person was totally masked and we used good quaint police work to provide you with the image that you’ve,” Adams stated.

The picture represents an vital picture for investigators, and police are assured somebody will acknowledge him.

It seems the suspect shared a room on the fourth ground with two different males, and checked into the hostel utilizing a New Jersey license that is not his, police sources informed ABC Information.

Detectives ran the identify and located it didn’t resemble any identified images of the suspect or different proof amassed thus far, the sources stated.

Police are working to find out if the suspect prepositioned the bike and took the subway to the capturing scene.

A POSSIBLE MOTIVE?

Police say Thompson’s schedule for the investor convention was broadly identified.

The shooter seems to have identified which door Thompson was going to enter and was noticed on video at the least 5 minutes previous to the capturing loitering across the lodge. Thompson was approached from behind and shot a number of instances at level clean vary on the doorway on West 54th Road, together with a number of rounds within the again and as soon as in the suitable calf.

It isn’t clear if any phrases have been exchanged previous to the capturing.

The gunman, described as 6’1″ with a tall, skinny construct, ran by means of the midblock Ziegfeld Alleyway and ultimately jumped on a motorbike and rode away into Central Park.

“Deny,” “defend” and “depose” have been written on the reside rounds and shell casings found on the scene of Wednesday morning’s capturing – which detectives interpret as a attainable message from the suspect.

It furthers their working motive that the suspect held grudge in opposition to the insurance coverage firm. They’re checking each dispute or contested denial of service introduced in opposition to the corporate, in addition to working down each risk made in opposition to the UnitedHealthcare CEO.

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Detectives nonetheless should not have the suspect’s identify they usually have his cellphone however haven’t accessed it. They imagine they are going to have DNA and a smudged fingerprint on a discarded water bottle that’s being examined.

Police are nonetheless looking for the e-bike he used that was final seen on West eighty fifth Road, and the backpack he was seen on earlier video sporting.

Detectives are taken with each second of the ten days the suspect spent in New York Metropolis, and will likely be canvassing the Higher West Aspect, Midtown, and presumably different neighborhoods for surveillance till there’s none left.

A $10,000 reward is being supplied for info.

The Related Press and ABC Information contributed to this report.