UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked to the company’s annual investor conference at a Hilton in Midtown, blocks from tourist draws like Radio City Music Hall and the Museum of Modern Art.
The gunman is still at large and a manhunt is underway.
Here’s the latest:
Water Bottle and Protein Bar Wrapper May Hold Clues to Shooter’s Identity
Just minutes before the shooting, the suspect was seen on surveillance footage purchasing the two items from a nearby Starbucks. Both the water bottle and protein bar wrapper were later recovered from a trash can in the vicinity of the killing, according to a police spokesperson.
They’ve been sent to the city’s medical examiner for expedited fingerprint testing.
Tips About Shooting, Many Unfounded, Are Pouring in Through Police Hotline
As the suspect remained at large Thursday afternoon, New York police were sorting through a growing number of leads coming in through a public hotline.
Many have been unfounded, including a tip from a commuter who claimed to have spotted the shooter on a Long Island Rail Road train Wednesday evening. Police searched the train, but found no sign of the gunman.
Members of the public have also provided police with several different names of people who bear a resemblance to the gunman—though they have yet to confirm the shooter’s identity.
NYPD spokesperson Carlos Nieves urged anyone with information to contact the department “even if it seems trivial.”
“We ask you to call the tip line because that little piece of information could be the missing piece of the puzzle that ties everything together,” he said.
Police Searched Upper West Side Hostel Seen in New Images
Images released by police of a person they say is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting match the lobby of the HI New York City hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Both feature a black-and-white checkered floor and a distinctive bench in the shape of a semicircle.
Matheus Taranto, a guest at the hostel who’s visiting from Brazil, says he saw police at the lodging Wednesday evening.
He said an officer wouldn’t let him access a bathroom where he wanted to brush his teeth. “I asked why, he was like, no, nothing happened,” said Taranto, 24.
He didn’t connect the dots with the shooting until later.
Police Believe Bomb Threat Against Thompson’s Home Was a Hoax
In Minnesota, police in the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove, where Thompson lived, said Thursday they believe a bomb threat on Wednesday night was a hoax.
Maple Grove police put out a statement Thursday saying a “suspected swatting investigation” was underway. The department said it received a report of a bomb threat directed at two addresses around 7 p.m. CT Wednesday. The Minneapolis Bomb Squad and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office assisted, but investigators found no suspicions devices or other items.
“The case is considered an active investigation, while the incident appears to be a hoax. No further comments will be made at this time,” the police statement said.
Police reports provided to The Associated Press by the department show that officers made contact with family members at one of the homes and were told they had seen nothing suspicious and had received no direct threats.
Authorities Investigate Bomb Threat Against Thompson’s Home
Back in Thompson’s home state of Minnesota, authorities were investigating a bomb threat that reportedly was made against his home Wednesday night, after his death. It was first reported by TMZ.
City Prosecutor Andrew Draper confirmed to The Associated Press via email Thursday that he received an email Wednesday night “regarding a bomb threat. I reported it to the Maple Grove Police Department and do not have any additional information.”
Maple Grove police officials did not immediately respond to requests for details Thursday.
Local ATF spokesperson Ashlee Sherrill said: “ATF was made aware of the incident in Maple Grove last night, but no ATF resources were deployed. We are unable to confirm any further details.”
A local FBI spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for information on the FBI’s involvement in the investigation.
Thompson’s Wife Said Husband Received Threats
Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that he told her “there were some people that had been threatening him.” She didn’t have details but suggested the threats may have involved issues with insurance coverage.
Eric Werner, the police chief in the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received any reports of threats against the executive.
New Photos Released by NYPD
The New York Police Department released photos Thursday morning, asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual pictured. Police say the person is wanted for questioning in connection with the shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO.
UnitedHealthcare’s History of Claim Denials
A Senate panel has been investigating how frequently three major insurers, including UnitedHealthcare, deny care to patients who are enrolled in Medicare Advantage plans. It has also investigated the use of artificial intelligence in deny those claims.
Medicare Advantage is the private version of Medicare, which provides health insurance to millions of older Americans.
The Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee’s report released earlier this year found that as UnitedHealthcare relied more on its automated system to review claims denials increased for post-acute treatment, which includes nursing home or rehabilitation care. The insurer denied nearly a quarter of claims, a rate that doubled over just a two-year period from 2020 to 2022.
What We Know About the Suspected Shooter
Joseph Kenny, the NYPD chief of detectives, says the shooter wore a black face mask, black-and-white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack.
He arrived outside the hotel about five minutes before UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson did, then waited and ignored other pedestrians before he approached Thompson from behind.
After the assailant began to fire, his 9 mm pistol jammed but he quickly fixed it and kept firing, Kenny said, another sign of the shooter’s professionalism.
“From watching the video, it does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” Kenny said.
NY Police Hunt Shooting Suspect, Search Two Hostels Thursday
The hostels were on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
According to an employee of Kama Central Park, two detectives arrived at the hostel at 7 a.m. Thursday with a photo of the shooter and asked staff if they recognized the man. They did not, the employee said, and the detectives left soon after. An employee at the nearby HI New York City hostel also confirmed that police had visited the location Thursday, but declined to provide further information.
New York Mayor Adams Says He’s ‘Never Seen a Silencer Before’
New York Mayor Eric Adams said Thursday the shooter used a silencer—something he’d never encountered in his 22 years as a police officer.
“In all of my years in law enforcement I have never seen a silencer before,” Adams, a retired NYPD captain, said in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “And so that was really something that was shocking to us all.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.