Bullets used in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Wednesday morning bore written words, CBS News has confirmed.
The phrases “delay,” “deny,” and potentially “depose” were found on shell casings and bullets recovered at the crime scene in New York City, according to officials from the NYPD. Authorities are investigating whether these words might be connected to a motive involving insurance companies and their handling of claims. This detail was initially reported by ABC News.
A source close to the investigation shared that the words on the bullet casings were handwritten with a Sharpie, not engraved. Authorities are examining these casings to uncover any potential connection to a motive tied to insurance companies and their claim-handling practices. The words may reference the “three D’s of insurance” — “delay,” “deny,” and “defend” — a phrase often used by critics to highlight strategies insurers allegedly use to stall or reject claims.
Brian Thompson, 50, was tragically gunned down just before 7 a.m. on Wednesday by an assailant wearing a mask who escaped before authorities arrived. The shooting took place in a busy Manhattan neighborhood near the Hilton Midtown hotel, where Thompson was scheduled to attend a UnitedHealthcare investor conference. According to police, he had been staying at the Marriott hotel across the street.
On Thursday, the NYPD shared the first unmasked images of a person they are seeking for questioning in connection to the shooting, requesting public assistance in identifying the individual. The photos were captured at a hostel in the Manhattan Valley neighborhood on the Upper West Side. According to a law enforcement official familiar with the case, the man used a counterfeit ID under a false name to check into the hostel. A source close to the investigation specified that the identification card was a fake from New Jersey. The hostel confirmed in a statement to CBS News that it is fully cooperating with the NYPD’s investigation.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Killing: What’s in the Footage
Surveillance footage captured the gunman arriving at the Hilton around 6:45 a.m., where he appeared to wait for several minutes. According to police, he ambushed Thompson, shooting him at least once in the back and later in the leg. The video shows the suspect briefly approaching Thompson before crossing the street. He then fled the scene on a bicycle, heading toward Central Park. At the crime scene, authorities recovered three live bullets and three spent shell casings.
Police executed a search warrant Wednesday night at an Upper West Side building the suspect reportedly entered earlier that day with a backpack matching the one seen in the shooting footage. Surveillance cameras had captured the suspect near the Frederick Douglass Housing Project and a nearby hostel around 5 a.m. Authorities suspect he stayed overnight in the area but haven’t confirmed if footage shows him entering a specific building.
After the shooting, the suspect was seen in Central Park, exiting near 70th-80th Streets. Authorities described him as a White male wearing a tan jacket, black mask, sneakers, and carrying a gray backpack. Police believe he discarded the backpack, possibly containing the weapon, in the park.
Investigators linked the shooting to a B&T Station SIX firearm and have contacted gun dealers in Connecticut to trace it. Surveillance footage showed the suspect at a nearby Starbucks before the attack, paying in cash. Forensic evidence, including a coffee cup, is being tested for fingerprints and DNA. A cellphone found near the scene is also being examined.
New video showed the suspect leaving a Midtown subway station earlier in the morning. Investigators discovered he took a bus from Atlanta to New York days before the shooting.
NYPD Commissioner Tisch called it a “premeditated, targeted attack” but declined to specify a motive. Although Thompson had no security, his wife revealed he had received threats over coverage issues. Police are reviewing records for leads on disgruntled employees or previous threats.
Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the suspect’s capture.