The New York Police Department on Saturday launched two new photographs of an individual being sought within the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The photographs are the newest in a sequence by the NYPD of the identical particular person wished for questioning in Wednesday’s killing.
The particular person will be seen in one of many photographs by the partition of what seems to be a New York City taxi, sporting a blue medical masks and a black hoodie.
The different photograph, taken from inside a automobile, reveals the person exterior the window strolling alongside the car whereas sporting the identical blue masks and a dark-colored puffer jacket with the hood pulled over his head.
The NYPD has mentioned investigators have been capable of monitor a few of his actions by taxi.
As the investigation into Thompson’s killing and the manhunt for the gunman carried into Saturday, three sources acquainted with the probe instructed NBC News there was nonetheless no identification of the particular person of curiosity.
A mixed $60,000 in reward cash is being provided by the FBI, Crime Stoppers and the NYPD for data resulting in the arrest of the gunman.
Thompson was gunned down exterior the New York Hilton Midtown lodge as he was on his approach to UnitedHealth Group’s investor convention Wednesday morning, officers have mentioned.
Thompson was shot at the least as soon as within the again and as soon as in the fitting calf. He was not traveling with security.
“Based on the proof now we have thus far, it does seem the sufferer was particularly focused,” Joseph Kenny, NYPD chief of detectives, mentioned earlier within the week. “But at this level, we have no idea why.”
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch mentioned Wednesday it was a “premeditated, preplanned focused assault.”
Shell casings discovered on the scene had the phrases “deny,” “delay” and “depose” written on them, police mentioned.
Police additionally discovered a grey backpack in Central Park that the particular person of curiosity was mentioned to be carrying on the time of the slaying. Officials had been trying into whether or not it was actually the identical bag, two senior regulation enforcement officers instructed NBC News.
A cellphone was discovered by police close to the scene, and investigators are attempting to make use of it to study extra concerning the man’s contacts and his motion, two sources acquainted with the probe mentioned.
Four sources acquainted with the investigation instructed NBC News on Saturday that no gun was discovered within the backpack. Three sources mentioned there was a jacket within the bag, but it surely stays unclear whether or not it’s the jacket the gunman wore on the time of the taking pictures.
Authorities consider the person being sought in reference to the killing might have left the state.
Kenny instructed reporters that video reveals the person using a motorcycle in Central Park, then taking a taxi to the Port Authority bus station near the George Washington Bridge.
Investigators are in search of extra video to find out if he obtained on a bus from there, and if that’s the case which one.
Police consider he might have traveled to New York City from Atlanta last month by Greyhound bus, three senior regulation enforcement officers acquainted with the case instructed NBC News. The bus arrived in New York on Nov. 24, after making a number of stops alongside the way in which, they mentioned.
Officials in New York are trying into whether or not they can discover a identify used for the Nov. 24 journey, and each Atlanta police and Greyhound are helping within the probe.
While in New York, the person stayed at a hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the NYPD mentioned at a Friday briefing. Authorities are working to find out whether or not he paid in money and used a faux ID to hire a room there.
Roommates on the hostel mentioned he saved his masks on your entire time, even whereas consuming, solely pulling it all the way down to take a chunk, the NYPD mentioned.
Thompson’s spouse, Paulette Thompson, instructed NBC News on Wednesday that her husband had been receiving threats, however she was unclear of their nature.
“There had been some threats,” she mentioned. “Basically, I don’t know, an absence of protection? I don’t know particulars. I simply know that he mentioned there have been some those who had been threatening him.”
Minyvonne Burke, Phil Helsel, Jonathan Dienst and Tim Stelloh contributed.
