UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was killed in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked from his downtown hotel to the company's annual investor conference on the other across the street, just blocks from tourist attractions such as Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center.
But days later, the shooter was still at large and the reason for the killing remained unknown, with New York City police saying the evidence clearly indicates it was a targeted attack.
Investigators worked to piece together the timeline of the shooter's whereabouts before the shooting, review security camera footage and even test a discarded water bottle and protein bar wrapper in the frame of a DNA search.
The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” were found on the ammunition, repeating a phrase used by critics of the insurance industry, two law enforcement officials said Thursday, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation.
The messages mimic the phrase “delay, deny, defend,” commonly used by lawyers and critics of the insurance industry to describe tactics used to avoid paying claims. It refers to insurers who delay payment, deny a claim and then defend their actions. Health insurers like UnitedHealthcare have become frequent targets of criticism from doctors and patients for denying claims or making it difficult to access care.
Investigators also believe the suspect may have traveled to New York last month on a bus from Atlanta, one of the law enforcement officials said.
Police and federal agents have collected information from Greyhound to try to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased the ticket to New York in late November, the official said.
Investigators are also trying to obtain additional information from a cell phone recovered from a pedestrian square through which the shooter fled.
A tip that the shooter may have been staying at a hostel led police Thursday morning to at least two such establishments on Manhattan's Upper West Side, according to one of the law enforcement officials briefed on of the investigation. The photos released Thursday were taken in the lobby of the HI New York City hostel.
We are cooperating fully with the NYPD and, as this is an ongoing investigation, we cannot comment at this time,” Danielle Brumfitt, a spokesperson for the hostel, said in a statement. a press release sent by email.
Police released new photos Thursday of a person wanted for questioning in connection with Mr. Thompson's killing.
The footage, showing an unmasked man smiling in the lobby of a Manhattan hostel, adds to a collection of photos and videos that have circulated since the shooting — including footage of the attack itself, as well as as still images of the suspected shooter stopping at a Starbucks before the attack.
Investigators believe the suspect used a fake New Jersey ID when he checked into the inn, said one of the officials who spoke to the AP.
Employees at the inn told investigators they remembered a man who almost always wore a mask when interacting with them or passing by the front desk. That person was wearing a jacket that resembled that of the man pictured in surveillance footage released after the shooting, the official said.
After the shooting, police said the shooter fled on a bicycle and was last seen in Central Park.
Based on surveillance video and evidence collected at the scene, investigators believe the shooter had at least some training and experience with firearms and that the weapon was equipped with a silencer, said one of the leaders of law enforcement in the AP.
Investigators are also looking into whether the suspect had prepositioned a bicycle as part of an escape plan, the official added.
Security video shows the killer approaching Thompson from behind, leveling his gun and firing several shots, barely stopping to clear a jam of weapons as the frame fell to the sidewalk. The cameras showed him fleeing the neighborhood by crossing a pedestrian square before getting on his bike.
Police released several images of the man wearing a hooded jacket and a mask that hid most of his face – an appearance that would not have attracted attention on a chilly morning.
Mr. Thompson, a father of two sons and a resident of suburban Minneapolis, had worked for UnitedHealthcare, a company based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, since 2004 and served as its CEO for more than three years.
His wife, Paulette, told NBC News on Wednesday that he told her “there were people threatening him.” She did not give details, but suggested the threats could relate to insurance coverage issues.
The insurer's parent company, UnitedHealth Group Inc. held its annual meeting in New York to inform investors of its directions and expectations for the coming year. The company ended the conference after Mr. Thompson's death.
UnitedHealthcare covers more than 49 million Americans and had revenue of more than $281 billion last year. It is the largest provider of Medicare Advantage plans in the United States and manages health insurance coverage for employers and state and federally funded Medicaid programs.
In October, UnitedHealthcare was named along with Humana and CVS in a Senate report detailing how its rate of denial of prior authorizations for some Medicare Advantage patients has jumped in recent years.
