‘Deny,’ ‘defend’ and ‘depose’: Ammunition used in CEO’s killing had writing on it, AP source says
NEW YORK– The masked gunman who stalked and murdered The leader of one of the largest U.S. health insurers on a Manhattan sidewalk used ammunition containing the words “deny,” “defend” and “impeach,” a law enforcement official said Thursday.
The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
CEO of United Healthcare Brian ThompsonThe 50-year-old died in an ambush at dawn on Wednesday 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 insurance companies 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.
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, the official said.
Investigators are also looking into whether the suspect had pre-positioned a bicycle as part of an escape plan, the official said. The suspect 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 gunman approaching Thompson from behind, leveling his gun and firing several shots, barely pausing to clear a brief gun malfunction as the dying health official tumbled to the sidewalk.
Other security cameras captured the early stages of the gunman’s escape. He was seen fleeing the block through a pedestrian plaza and then escaping on a bicycle. Police used drones, helicopters and dogs in an intensive search, but the killer’s whereabouts remained unknown.
Police Chief Jessica Tisch said 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,” Tisch said at a news conference on Wednesday.
“From watching the video, it appears he is skilled in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions fairly quickly,” Kenny said.
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 freezing winter 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.
“Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him,” UnitedHealth Group Inc., the insurer’s Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company, 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.
Investigators also searched Thompson’s hotel room, interviewed his colleagues at UnitedHealthcare and reviewed his social media, Kenny said.
Police initially said the gunman rode into Central Park on a bicycle from the city’s bike-sharing program, CitiBike. But a spokesperson for the program’s operator, Lyft, said law enforcement officials informed the company Wednesday afternoon that the bike was not from the CitiBike fleet.
Healthcare giant UnitedHealth Group 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.
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.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz posted on the social platform X that the state “sends our prayers to Brian’s family and the UnitedHealthcare team.”
“This is horrific news and a terrible loss for Minnesota businesses and health care,” the Democrat wrote.
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Balsamo reported from Washington.