UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting latest: Manhunt goes nationwide as police learn suspect left New York City by bus

The manhunt for the suspect who was shot outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel Wednesday by UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has entered its fourth day as authorities try to learn more about his movements before the attack.

Police have learned that the suspect took a taxi to the Port Authority bus facility on 178th Street and boarded a bus out of New York City after the shooting, according to police.

The bus that allegedly took the suspect out of the city made six or seven stops, and investigators have followed him in several states, the sources said.

The killer entered New York City by bus on Nov. 24, when a surveillance camera at the Port Authority Bus Terminal captured his arrival at 9 p.m., law enforcement sources told ABC News.

The incoming bus originated in Atlanta, but it was not immediately clear where the suspect boarded. Sources told ABC News that he was spotted on board in Washington, DC

The 10-day period he was in New York before the shooting is the focus of investigative efforts.

The FBI is now assisting in a nationwide manhunt for the suspect, according to law enforcement sources, and the unidentified man remains at large in connection with Wednesday’s attack, which police described as “aggressive, targeted” and “premeditated.”

Police do not yet have a name for the suspect, sources said.

Meanwhile, citing Thompson’s latest killing, major health insurer Centene said it would move a planned in-person investor day in New York next week to virtual, according to a statement from the company on Friday.

“All of us at Centen are saddened by Brian Thompson’s passing and want to extend our support to all those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian throughout their careers.” said Centene CEO, Sarah M. London. “”He was a person with a clear passion for empathy and improving access to care. Our hearts go out to his family and colleagues at this difficult time.”

Officers were able to recover what appeared to be a backpack worn by the alleged shooter, a source familiar with the case told ABC News on Friday.

The bag was found Friday afternoon in Central Park, where the NYPD deployed an army of officers and drones to conduct a network search, the source said.

The suspect is seen wearing a backpack before the shooting, but he does not appear to be on a bicycle in another video 15 minutes after the shooting.

The masked gunman shot Thompson at 6:44 a.m. Wednesday outside the Hilton Midtown in New York City, where Thompson was heading to his company’s investor conference.

“The shooter then walks up to the victim and continues to shoot,” said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. “The gun seems to be malfunctioning as it clears the jam and starts firing again.”

The words “deny”, “defend” and “reject” were written on the covers of the shells, according to police sources.

Baleta’s words echo the title of his 2010 book, “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.” Police are aware of the similarity and are investigating whether a possible motive is anger at the insurance industry, sources said.

Investigators believe they have obtained DNA samples from several pieces of evidence found at or near the crime scene, law enforcement sources told ABC News. The samples are currently in the NYC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to be run through databases for a possible match — a process that could take several days, sources said.

Police were able to get a fingerprint from a water bottle the suspect bought at a Starbucks, but the print is smudged, so it’s unclear how helpful that would be, sources said.