Police are closing in on a suspect in the “brazen, targeted” shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Wednesday morning.
New York police have searched a hostel in upper Manhattan where they believe the suspected shooter was staying, according to CNN. Investigators, meanwhile, found bullet casings at the scene with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” written on them, ABC News reports. They also recovered a candy wrapper and water bottle believed to belong to the suspect.
Fingerprint and DNA tests are continuing.
The shooter had been hiding behind a car outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan for about five minutes when Thompson exited Wednesday, police said. The suspect was spotted at a nearby Starbucks on West 56th Street and 6th Avenue shortly before the shooting.
Police said Thompson’s schedule for Wednesday was widely known, ABC News reports.
The shooter, who was wearing a mask, approached Thompson from behind and shot him in the right calf and back at 6:46am.
Video of the incident shows the shooter walking up behind Thompson before shooting him multiple times, then calmly crossing the street. The footage also shows there was a bystander who witnessed the shooting and ran away as the suspect fired at Thompson.
Police do not believe the shooter was a professional.
He fled on an e-bike, according to authorities.
Police described the shooter as a white man wearing a black hoodie and black pants and carrying a gray backpack. It’s believed the suspect used a gun with a silencer. A food cart vendor near the scene of the shooting told NBC News that he did not hear any gunshots.
There is a $10,000 reward for information on the suspect.
UnitedHealth Group, which owns the insurance company, was holding its annual investor conference Wednesday. The company canceled the event following the shooting. Thompson was scheduled to speak there at 8am.
Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News her husband had received threats.
“There had been some threats,” she told the outlet. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of [health insurance] coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”
She added: “I can’t really give a thoughtful response right now. I just found this out and I’m trying to console my children.”
