Topline
The man suspected of shooting Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, is still at large nearly three days after the murder on Wednesday in New York City, but little is known about the suspect as the investigation continues.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 4: A wanted poster is set up for an NYPD press conference regarding a … [+]
Key Facts
Officers describe the suspect as a light-skinned masked male with a gray backpack wearing black and white sneakers and a hooded jacket; police reports, photos and video reveal that he walked away from the murder scene, got on an electric bike and was last seen near Central Park early Wednesday morning.
The gunman was waiting for Thompson to arrive that morning, the city’s police commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters in a Wednesday conference; Joseph Kenny, NYPD Chief of Detectives, told the Associated Press that the shooter appears to be “proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly.”
Multiple outlets also have reported the police are looking into Greyhound records to confirm if the shooter arrived in New York City by bus from Atlanta on Nov. 24.
Another key piece of evidence comes from words reportedly penned onto the gunman’s bullet casings from the murder scene, which read “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” according to multiple outlets; the words are suspected to be related to criticisms of the insurance industry and the methods they employ to deny medical claims.
Key Background
Brian Thompson, 50, was visiting the New York Hilton Midtown for UnitedHealth Group’s investor conference and was shot several times from behind around 7 a.m. EST. The company held the 19th spot in 2024 on Forbes’ ranking of the world’s largest public firms. Police said it does “not appear to be a random act of violence; all indications are that it was a premediated, targeted attack.” Thompson was a father and had been CEO since 2021. Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, said it plans to cooperate with the investigation. The NYPD posted a $10,000 award for details and information on the shooter.
Did The Shooter Escape On A Citi Bike?
No. Multiple reports throughout the event identified the shooter’s escape bike as an electric Citi Bike, a publicly available New York City transportation method that requires users to pay to unlock the bikes through an account. During the early hours of the investigation, it was suspected that data from the bikes might help identify the killer. The Associated Press, and journalists on X, later reported the police told Lyft, the company that manages the bikes, its bikes were not used.
Why Hasn’t The Suspect Been Caught?
The New York Police Department has flown helicopters, searched through security cameras throughout the area, maintained drones and used dogs to find the shooter, and is investigating leads after the gunman escaped. The New York Times reported, citing a senior law enforcement officer that the difficulty in identifying the suspect is partly because the shooter’s hooded and masked face hid him from cameras, saying he was “camera-savvy.” The New York Times also reported, citing investigators, that he was “lucky” to not have left behind many fingerprints.
What Else Do We Know About The Shooter?
Officials are yet to release the name of the suspect, update information on his identity and provide a motive for the killing.
