Gunman who killed Brian Thompson, UnitedHealthcare CEO, is on the loose. What we know about the suspect.
New York — A manhunt is underway in New York for the gunman who shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Wednesday morning in what authorities said appeared to be a targeted attack.
Thompson, 50, was shot multiple times around 6:45 a.m. outside the Hilton Midtown hotel on Sixth Avenue near West 54th Street in New York City, officials said at a press conference Wednesday. Thompson was not a guest at the Hilton but was staying at another hotel nearby and walking to the Hilton for a corporate event when he was attacked.
The shooting happened ahead of an investors conference that UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of UnitedHealthcare, was scheduled to host on Wednesday at the Hilton, according to a spokesperson for the subsidiary.
What we know about the suspect in CEO shooting
The suspect has not been identified. He is a light-skinned man and was wearing a grey colored backpack, which NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny described as "very distinctive." Kenny said the gunman was also wearing a light brown or cream-colored jacket, black face mask and black-and-white sneakers.
The suspect appeared to be lying in wait for Thompson for several minutes, newly sworn-in Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said during Wednesday's news conference. A senior NYPD official told CBS News that the suspect's arrival before Thompson indicates he knew where the CEO was staying and when he would arrive at the conference.
"Based on the evidence we have so far it does appear that the victim was specifically targeted, but we don't know why," Kenny said.
Thompson was staying at another hotel across the street, Kenny said. He left his hotel shortly after 6:40 to head over to the Hilton. Kenny said police are speaking to Thompson's coworkers to understand why he was headed to the hotel so early, but said the CEO was in charge of the conference and may have been going over to help set up.
The suspect approached Thompson from behind at 6:44 a.m., then shot him at least once in the back and once in the right calf. A security camera captured the incident.
Kenny said the suspect appeared to be proficient in the use of firearms, noting that the suspect appeared to quickly fix a jam in his weapon. The suspect also had a silencer on the weapon, the NYPD said.
The suspect first fled on foot before getting on a bike. Tisch initially said the suspect used an electronic Citi Bike to get away, but Lyft said the NYPD later told the company, which owns and operates Citi Bike, that was not the case. Police are attempting to track the suspect through video canvass, Kenny said. A spokesperson for Lyft had previously said the company was "ready to assist" with the investigation.
The suspect was seen in Central Park and the police video canvass showed him exiting the west side of the park somewhere between 70th and 80th streets. Police are examining surveillance video of what appears to be the suspect at 6:59 a.m. riding a bike on West 85th Street.
What evidence have police found?
Three live 9 mm rounds and three discharged 9 mm shell casings were recovered from the scene, Kenny said. Police also found a cellphone along the route the suspect used to flee the scene. Police are doing a forensic analysis of the device to determine if it belongs to the suspect, Kenny said. Police told CBS News the phone has "investigative value," but wouldn't elaborate and would not say who the phone belonged to.
Police are still going through surveillance images and said they have video, but no audio, of the shooting. A joint law enforcement task force said they were conducting a reverse video canvass. Investigators will look at footage from all cameras from the crime scene all cameras from the crime scene and in the surrounding areas to try to track the suspect's escape route.
They are also looking to see where the suspect may have come from.
Police released surveillance images showing the suspect minutes before the shooting at a Starbucks two blocks from the shooting. Police told CBS News they found unspecified "forensic evidence" at the Starbucks and that items recovered there are being tested for possible DNA and fingerprints by the NYPD's Crime Scene Unit.
Investigators and security at UnitedHealthcare are combing through files searching for a possible motive, looking for possible previous threats, and disgruntled or recently fired workers, a law enforcement source said. The company said it is cooperating with the investigation. Police are also looking at social media and interviewing employees, family members and others who knew Thompson, Kenny said.
Ongoing manhunt will not disrupt holiday events
NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said that police will use all of the resources at their disposal, including drone and K-9 units, to find the suspect. People in Manhattan can expect to see a heavier-than-usual police presence in the borough, especially at Wednesday night's Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center, Maddrey said.
"When an incident like this happens, we don't spare any expense," Maddrey said.
Pat Milton and John Doyle contributed reporting.
