The masked gunman who stalked and killed the leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurers outside a Manhattan hotel used ammunition bearing the words “deny,” “defend” and “impeach,” a law enforcement official said Thursday.
The official was not authorized to publicly discuss the details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, died Wednesday in an ambush as he walked to the company’s annual investor conference at a Hilton hotel in Midtown, near tourist attractions such as Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art.
The words on the ammunition may have been a reference to strategies that insurance companies would use to try to avoid claims.
Investigators found several 9mm casings outside the hotel and a cellphone in the alley, causing the gunman to flee, NYPD Chief Joseph Kenny had said earlier.
The murder and the gunman’s movements in the minutes before and after were captured on some of the many security cameras in that part of the city.
The hunt for the gunman led New York City police to at least two hostels on Manhattan’s Upper West Side Thursday morning, based on a tip that the suspected gunman may have been staying at one of the residences, according to a second law enforcement official responding had been informed of the matter. investigation, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing search.
Two detectives arrived at the Kama Central Park hostel at 7 a.m. Thursday with a photo of the gunman and asked staff if they recognized the man, an employee confirmed to the AP. That didn’t happen, the employee said, and the detectives left. An employee at the nearby HI New York City hostel also confirmed that police had visited the location on Thursday, but declined to provide further information.
The reason behind Thompson’s murder remained unknown.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference Wednesday that while investigators had not yet determined a motive, the shooting was not a random act of violence. “Many people passed by the suspect, but he appeared to be waiting for his intended target,” she said.
Investigators believe, based on surveillance footage and evidence collected at the scene, that the shooter had at least some prior firearms training and experience with weapons and that the weapon was equipped with a silencer, said one of the law enforcement officials who spoke to the AP .
Investigators are also looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bicycle as part of an escape plan, the official said. The gunman fled on a bicycle and was last seen riding into Central Park.
Authorities conducted DNA and fingerprint analyzes on items found nearby, including a water bottle, which they believe the suspect threw away, the official said.
Security camera footage showed the killer approaching Thompson from behind, pointing his gun and firing several shots, barely pausing to clear a gun jam as the health official tumbled to the sidewalk.
Other cameras captured the early stages of the gunman’s escape. He fled the block through a pedestrian plaza and then escaped on a bicycle. Police used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intensive search, but the killer’s whereabouts remained unknown.
Police released several surveillance images of the man, who was wearing a hooded jacket and a mask that hid most of his face and would not have attracted attention on a frigid day. Some of the photos were taken at a Starbucks coffee shop shortly before the shooting. Police offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
The insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc., held its annual meeting with investors to update Wall Street on the company’s direction and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference early after Thompson’s death.
Thompson, father of two sons, has worked at the company since 2004 and was CEO for more than three years.
“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” UnitedHealth Group said in a statement. “We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”
Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her that “there were some people threatening him.” She had no details but suggested the threats may have involved insurance coverage issues.
Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had received no reports of threats against the director.
UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the U.S., administering health insurance for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs.
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