In this article, the New York Police Department has released two new photos of a person being sought in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. These photos are part of a series released by the NYPD of the same individual wanted for questioning in the recent killing. One of the photos shows the person behind the partition of what seems to be a New York City taxi, wearing a blue medical mask and a black hoodie. The second photo, taken from inside a car, depicts the man walking alongside the vehicle while wearing the same blue mask and a dark-colored puffer jacket with the hood pulled over his head.
The NYPD has mentioned that investigators have been able to track some of the person’s movements by taxi. As the investigation into Thompson’s killing and the manhunt for the gunman continued into Saturday, sources familiar with the probe informed NBC News that the person of interest had not yet been identified. A total of $60,000 in reward money is being offered by the FBI, Crime Stoppers, and the NYPD for any information leading to the arrest of the gunman.
Thompson was fatally shot outside the New York Hilton Midtown hotel as he was heading to UnitedHealth Group’s investor conference on Wednesday morning. According to officials, Thompson was shot at least once in the back and once in the right calf, and he was not accompanied by security at the time of the attack. The NYPD chief of detectives, Joseph Kenny, stated earlier in the week that based on the evidence available, it appears the victim was specifically targeted, but the motive remains unknown.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the incident as a “premeditated, preplanned targeted attack.” Shell casings found at the scene had the words “deny,” “delay,” and “depose” written on them. Additionally, a gray backpack believed to be carried by the person of interest at the time of the killing was found in Central Park. Investigators are examining whether it is the same bag, and a cellphone discovered near the scene is being used to gather more information about the man’s contacts and movements.
Authorities suspect that the individual being sought in connection with the killing may have left the state. Video footage shows the man riding a bike in Central Park and later taking a taxi to the Port Authority bus station near the George Washington Bridge. Investigators are reviewing additional video footage to determine if he boarded a bus from there. It is believed that the man may have traveled to New York City from Atlanta last month by Greyhound bus, with officials in New York working to identify the name used for the trip on Nov. 24.
During his stay in New York, the man resided at a hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, where he reportedly paid in cash and possibly used a fake ID to rent a room. Roommates at the hostel mentioned that he always wore his mask, even while eating, only lowering it to take a bite. Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, revealed to NBC News that her husband had received threats, though she was unsure of their nature. She mentioned that there were individuals who had been threatening him, possibly due to a lack of coverage, but she did not have specific details.
