NYPD detectives arrived in Atlanta on Saturday after multiple tips related to the as-yet-unidentified suspect in the Wednesday shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York, sources told ABC News.
The Atlanta Police Department confirmed the arrival of the New York team but declined to provide further details.
The suspect reportedly arrived in New York on Nov. 24 on a Greyhound bus from Atlanta, although it is unclear when he may have boarded. Sources told ABC News they were spotted on board in Washington, DC
The masked gunman shot Thompson all together at 6:44 a.m. on December 4 outside the Hilton Midtown in New York City, where Thompson’s company was holding an investor conference. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the attack “brazen” and “targeted.”
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.
An undated NYPD handout photo obtained by Reuters on Dec. 5, 2024 shows a person wanted for questioning in connection with the killing of UnitedHeatlhcare CEO Brian Thompson at an undisclosed location.
via Nypd/Reuters
The NYPD believes it is making good progress in identifying the shooter, but so far has not, sources told ABC News. Late Saturday, the NYPD released new images of the alleged shooter in what appeared to be the back of a cab. No other context was provided.
The suspect is believed to have boarded a bus that made six or seven stops to get out of the city, police sources said. Investigators have followed the leads in several states, sources said.
The FBI is assisting a nationwide manhunt, according to law enforcement sources.
The New York Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying this person wanted for questioning in connection with the December 4, 2024, murder of a Midtown Manhattan CEO.
NYPD
Investigators continue to comb New York City — where the suspect is believed to have spent 10 days before the shooting — for evidence.
The NYPD recovered a backpack believed to be suspicious Friday night. The bag contained only two items — a Tommy Hilfiger jacket and Monopoly money — sources familiar with the ongoing investigation told ABC News on Saturday.
On Saturday, officers searched a well near Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. Police divers searched for evidence. It’s unclear if officers recovered anything from the water.
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.
Thompson, the CEO of major insurance group UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed in midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024.
ABC News
DNA samples are currently in the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office to be run through databases for a potential match — a process that could take several days, the sources said.
Police were able to obtain a fingerprint from a bottle of water the suspect purchased at Starbucks. The printout is stained, so it’s unclear whether it will be helpful to the investigation, sources said.
Police have yet to recover the distinctive gun used in the shooting.
NYPD officers search Central Park for evidence of the shooting of the CEO on December 6, 2024 in New York City.
WABC
“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.”
Written on the shells were the words “deny,” “defend” and “reject,” 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.
Centene, a major health insurer, said it will hold an investor day in New York next week, according to a statement Friday citing Thompson’s killing.
A backpack recovered by police in Central Park during the investigation into the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on December 6, 2024.
Obtained by ABC News
“All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by the passing of Brian Thompson and want to extend our support to all those affected,” said Centene CEO Sarah M. London.
“He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and a clear passion for improving access to care,” added London. “Our hearts go out to his family and his colleagues at this difficult time.”
