The tragic shooting of Brian Thompson, UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, outside a Hilton hotel in Manhattan, has left many questions unanswered. The NYPD is now working on the circumstances that surrounded this premeditated attack, centering their attention on the suspect’s actions before and after the incident. This article goes into the timeline of events leading up to and following the murder and ongoing investigation into the suspect.
Timeline of events
The shooting happened on 4th December 2024 at about 6:44 AM, just before Thompson was scheduled to appear for an investor conference. Surveillance footage shows that a detailed timeline of what the suspect did before the murder included:
- 5:00 AM: The suspect was seen exiting a hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. He emerged carrying what appeared to be an e-bike battery; that would mean he had planted apparatus to assist him in his getaway.
- 6:15 AM: A camera grabbed the image of a person resembling the suspect walking from a subway station near the Hilton hotel.
- 6:29 AM: The suspect was spotted strolling past a parking lot some 50 meters from where Thompson would later be shot.
- 6:40 AM: The suspect was captured on camera just minutes before the shooting at a nearby Starbucks. This means he had been close to Thompson prior to the attack.
- 6:44 AM: The gunman approached Thompson from behind and shot him several times at close range. He then walked closer to Thompson, shooting, before running down an alleyway.
- 6:48 AM: The suspect was last seen riding away on an e-bike into Central Park shortly after the shooting.
Details of the shooting
The NYPD has described the attack as “brazen” and “targeted,” meaning that it was premeditated. Witnesses reported that the shooter had lain in wait for a few minutes before Thompson arrived as also expressed here, What is known about the gunman who shot dead Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare in Manhattan. Having shot him in the chest, he made no attempt to rob Thompson or take any personal possessions, further suggesting this was no random act of violence but a deliberate assassination.
The police retrieved a little evidence from the scene. Bullet casings were found to have weird markings; some even had words such as “deny,” “defend,” and “depose.” That detail has raised questions of the motive for the attack and whether or not it had to do with Thompson’s professional life or personal conflicts.
Suspect’s escape
After the shooting, the suspect fled into an alley, where police found a cellphone they believed he had left behind. This is still forensically being analyzed in pursuit of any possible clues about his identity or motive for the attack.
After abandoning his initial means of escape, he jumped onto an e-bike that was perhaps prepositioned for a quick getaway. His last known sighting was in Central Park at about 6:48 AM. The NYPD is using facial recognition systems and studying surveillance footage taken from different locations to locate this individual.
Investigation and leads
Investigations have pointed out that law enforcement is zeroing in on several leads:
- CCTV cameras: Police are going through hours of video from cameras near the scene and in adjacent neighborhoods for other movements of the suspect.
- Forensic evidence: Along with analyzing the cellphone that was recovered, detectives are checking DNA evidence from items found at the scene-a water bottle and candy wrapper among them-for more information about who the shooter might have been.
- Witness interviews: Police interview any witness who was present at the scene, including friends and relatives of Thompson in hopes of uncovering threats or motives that have a connection to his work as a top insurance executive.
- Public assistance: The NYPD has called for anyone who can have details about the incident or possible whereabouts of the suspect to call Crime Stoppers and offer a reward for usable tips that may lead to an arrest.
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