As the investigation into the masked gunman who stalked and killed the head of one of the largest U.S. health insurance companies entered its third day on Friday, possible leads emerged about his travel before the shooting and a message written on ammunition found at the crime scene.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was killed in an ambush early Wednesday as he walked from his downtown hotel to the company’s annual investor conference across the street, blocks from tourist attractions like Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center.
But days later, the gunman remained at large and the cause of the killing remained unknown, with New York City police saying evidence strongly suggested it was a targeted attack.
Investigators worked to piece together more of a timeline of the gunman’s whereabouts before the shooting, examining security camera footage and even testing a discarded water bottle and protein bar wrapper for his DNA.
The words “reject,” “defend” and “impeach” were found written on the ammunition, a repeat of a phrase used by critics of the insurance industry, two law enforcement officials said Thursday, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they are not . He was authorized to discuss the details of the investigation publicly.
The letters mimic the phrase “delay, deny, defend,” commonly used by lawyers and insurance industry critics to describe tactics used to avoid paying claims. He points to insurance companies delaying payment, denying the claim, and then defending their actions. Health insurers like UnitedHealthcare have become frequent targets of criticism from doctors and patients for denying claims or complicating access to care.
Investigators now also believe the suspect may have traveled to New York last month on a bus from Atlanta, a law enforcement official said.
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Police and federal agents are collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, the official said.
Investigators are also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone found in a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled.
Information that the shooter may have stayed at a motel led police Thursday morning to at least two such establishments on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation. The photos posted Thursday were taken in the lobby of the HI New York City Hotel.
“We are fully cooperating with the NYPD, and since this is an active investigation, we cannot comment at this time,” lodge spokeswoman Danielle Brumfitt said in an email statement.
Police released new photos on Thursday of a person wanted for questioning in connection with Thompson’s killing.
The images, which show an unmasked man smiling in the lobby of a Manhattan motel, add to a trove of photos and videos that have circulated since the shooting — including footage of the attack itself, as well as still footage of the suspected gunman stopping by a hotel. Starbucks advance.
Investigators believe the suspect used a fake New Jersey ID when he checked into the motel, an official who spoke with the AP said.
Employees who work at the motel told investigators they remember a man who almost always wore a mask when interacting with them or passing by the front desk. The official said this person was wearing a jacket similar to the one worn by the man who appeared in surveillance photos released after the shooting.
After the shooting, police said the gunman fled on a bicycle and was last seen riding in Central Park.
Based on surveillance video and evidence from the scene, investigators believe the shooter had at least some firearms training and experience with firearms, and that the weapon was equipped with a silencer, a law enforcement official told the AP.
Investigators are also looking into whether the suspect had placed a bike beforehand as part of an escape plan, the official said.
Security video shows the killer approaching Thompson from behind, leveling his gun and firing several shots, barely pausing to remove the gun’s rail as the executive fell to the sidewalk. Cameras showed him escaping from the building through a pedestrian square before riding a bike.
Police released several photos of the man wearing a hoodie and a mask that concealed most of his face — a look that would not have attracted attention on a cold morning.
This photo provided by the New York City Police Department shows a man wanted for questioning in connection with the investigation into the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel, Wednesday, December 4, 2024.
New York City Police Department via AP
Thompson, a father of two who lives in suburban Minneapolis, has worked for Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealthcare since 2004 and served as CEO for more than three years.
His wife, Paulette, told NBC News on Wednesday that he told her that “there were some people who were threatening him.” She did not have details, but indicated that the threats may have included issues related to insurance coverage.
The insurer’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc, held its annual meeting in New York to update investors on its trends and outlook for the coming year. The company ended the conference after Thompson’s death.
UnitedHealthcare provides coverage to more than 49 million Americans and generated revenue of more than $281 billion last year. It is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the United States and manages employer health insurance coverage and state and federally funded Medicaid programs.
In October, UnitedHealthcare was named alongside Humana and CVS in a Senate report detailing how the rate of denials of prior authorizations for some Medicare Advantage patients had risen in recent years.
Balsamo reported from Washington.
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