NEW YORK – Investigators are asking for the public’s help as they get closer to identifying a suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The NYPD has released surveillance footage of a man they want to question, urging people to review the images. Investigators are now piecing together a timeline and former New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said the case has made significant progress.
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A law enforcement source said the suspect was caught on camera on Nov. 24, around 9 p.m., getting off a bus in New York.
“The moment they had a pretty good facial photo, it was almost ball game over,” de Blasio said.
Police said the suspect was seen on surveillance video at a hostel, where he pulled down his mask and smiled at an employee. Councilman Keith Powers is optimistic about the role technology will play in solving the case.
“I think we’re lucky that we have a lot of surveillance,” Powers said. “Obviously, we want more, and if anybody has any more information or surveillance, we want them to come forward.”
Related: Police hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO’s masked killer after ‘brazen, targeted’ attack on NYC street
Former FBI official Katherine Schweit highlighted law enforcement’s ability to use video evidence effectively.
“NYPD and the FBI have a great ability to pull together video surveillance and piece it together, moment by moment, and follow somebody through any camera available,” Schweit said.
Authorities believe the suspect took a Greyhound bus from Atlanta to New York and may have dropped a burner phone. Police also said they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting, the Associated Press reported. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.
The words “delay,” “deny” and possibly “depose” appeared on shell casings and bullets recovered from the scene of the shooting in New York City, according to New York City Police Department officials.
A popular phrase in the insurance industry is “delay, deny, defend,” which could hint at a motive, according to investigators.
“The moment an identity is fully established, things move very quickly towards arrest,” de Blasio said.
UnitedHealth Group has asked for privacy for Thompson’s family and expressed gratitude for the public’s kindness since the tragedy. The company is boosting security at its offices in New York, Minnesota, and Washington, D.C., and has paused its social media activities as the manhunt continues.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, 50, was shot and killed early on a Wednesday morning on a busy Midtown Manhattan street. He was on his way to an investor meeting.
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