NEW YORK– More than 24 hours after Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare recorded outside a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattana citywide manhunt continues for his murderer.
Detectives are searching his electronics to see if he has faced any threats, and they say the shooter may have dropped crucial clues.
CBS News has this confirmed by law enforcement officials the words “deny”, “defend” and “depose” were written on shell casings that were found at the scene. Officials say they are investigating whether the words indicate a motive, possibly related to insurance companies’ responses to claims.
Video shows brutal shooting outside Hilton Midtown
Surveillance video captured the brutal and targeted attack early Wednesday morning.
A masked gunman using a silencer approached Thompson from behind and shot him in the back and leg. The gun appeared to jam, but the suspect cleared it and continued firing.
The gunman then ran across the street, in full view of witnesses.
“I was looking at my phone and then I heard the shot. And when I looked, the guy had a gun, like a silent gun,” said a witness.
Thompson a 50-year-old father of two childrenwas on his way to the Hilton Midtown to address investors at a UnitedHealthcare conference.
The NYPD is now working with authorities in Minnesota, where he is fromto identify any specific threats against him. Police sources say investigators uncovered tirades against the company but no threats to his personal safety.
“Many people passed by the suspect, but he appeared to be waiting for his intended target,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said this at a press conference on Wednesday. “All indications are that this was a premeditated, pre-planned, targeted attack.”
Manhunt leads the police to Central Park
CBS News New York
From the Hilton, researchers think the suspect got on his bike and rode to Central Park. Video obtained by CBS News appears to show him leaving the park on West 85th Street about 15 minutes after the shooting.
“What we’re looking at is a shooter who was thoughtful and prepared, set the scene and proceeded to shoot the person in the back,” said Richard Esposito, former deputy commissioner of the NYPD.
According to police, the suspect prepared the plan carefully, but not perfectly. He went to a nearby Starbucks before the shooting, where sources say surveillance footage may have captured enough of his face to pass facial recognition.
“The New York City Police Department’s full investigative efforts are well underway, and we will not rest until we identify and apprehend the shooter in this case,” Tisch said.
Police sources say investigators are conducting forensic tests on a water bottle and a candy wrapper that they believe the suspect left at the Starbucks, as well as on a discarded cell phone found near the crime scene.
A law enforcement source said he paid with cash at 6:17 a.m., about 30 minutes before the shooting.
“A great person with a big heart”
Thompson arrived in town from Minnesota on Monday and was scheduled to address investors at the company’s annual investor relations conference. Top executives quickly canceled the shareholder meeting.
“The company is just desperate, his colleagues are desperate,” said Taylor Smith, who was staying at the Hilton.
Investigators are now looking into every aspect of Thompson’s life to find a motive.
“They’re going to look at the business side, you have a company that has laid off people. They’re going to look at the personal stories, and they’re going to focus on letters, desperate people who have been denied care or tests. or something that could have saved a life or that the company is to blame,” said John Miller, former NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism.
The 50-year-old was married and had two sons. His wife, Paulette, spoke of the family’s loss.
“Brian was an amazing person with a big heart and who lived life to the fullest,” she said. “He will be deeply missed by everyone. Our hearts are broken and we are completely devastated by this news.”
The NYPD is offering a $10,000 reward in the case and is asking the public to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477)or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via their website. All conversations are treated confidentially.
Pat Milton contributed to this report.
