The masked gunman who stalked and killed the CEO of one of America’s largest health insurance companies outside of a Manhattan Hotel used ammunition emblazoned with the words “deny,” “protect” and “destroy,” 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.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson50, was killed in an ambush early Wednesday as he walked to the company’s annual investor conference at the Hilton Hotel in Midtown, a few blocks from tourist attractions such as Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art.
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The words on the ammunition may be a reference to strategies that insurance companies use to try to avoid paying claims.
Investigators recovered several 9mm shell casings outside the hotel and a cell phone in the alley the gunman escaped through, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenney said earlier.
The killing and the shooter’s movements in the minutes before and after were captured by the many security cameras in that part of town.
The search for the gunman led New York City police to at least two hostels on Manhattan’s Upper West Side based on information that the suspected gunman may have been staying at one of the residences, according to a second law enforcement official briefed on the investigation, who wanted anonymity because they are 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. They didn’t, the clerk said, and the detectives left.
An employee at the nearby HI New York City Hostel also confirmed that police had visited the site on Thursday, but declined to provide further information.
The reason for Thompson’s ambush killing remains unknown.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference that while investigators have yet to determine a motive, the shooting was not a random act of violence. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to be waiting for his intended target,” she said.
Investigators believe, based on surveillance video 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 with AP.
Investigators are also looking into whether the suspect had pre-planted a bicycle as part of an escape plan, the official said.
The shooter fled on a bicycle and was last seen entering Central Park.
Authorities performed DNA and fingerprint analysis on items found nearby, including a water bottle, which they believe the suspect may have discarded, the official said.
Security camera video showed the killer approaching Thompson from behind, pointing his gun and firing several shots, barely pausing to clear the weapon jam as the health director slumped to the pavement.
Other cameras captured the initial stages of the gunman’s escape. He fled the block through a pedestrian street and then escaped on his bicycle. Police are using drones, helicopters and dogs in an intensive search, but the killer’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Police released several surveillance photos of the man, who was wearing a hooded jacket and a mask that hid most of his face and wouldn’t have drawn attention on a freezing day. Some of the photos were taken at Starbucks shortly before the shoot. Police have offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Minnetonka, Minnesota-based parent company of insurer 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’s wife answers
Thompson, a father of two sons, has been with the company since 2004. and has been CEO for over 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 NYPD and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time.”
Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people who threatened him.” She did not elaborate, but suggested the threats may be related to insurance coverage issues.
Eric Werner, police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive branch.
UnitedHealthcare is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the US and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs.
