U.S. law enforcement has released a photo of the suspect wanted for the fatal shooting of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealth Group, one of the largest health insurers in the U.S. The murder, which occurred in the heart of New York City, has led investigators to explore the possibility that the crime was motivated by grievances related to insurance claims, with the words deny, defend, and depose found inscribed on the recovered shell casings.
On Thursday, the New York Police Department (NYPD) unveiled a facial image of the suspect, captured in surveillance footage. The unmasked image was taken at a hostel in Manhattan’s Upper West Side, where the suspect stayed before the shooting. Along with the release, the NYPD announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the suspect’s capture.
At the crime scene, police recovered three 9mm live rounds, three 9mm shell casings, and a mobile phone. The shell casings were engraved with the words deny, defend, and depose, which, according to the Associated Press, appear to reference tactics commonly used by insurance companies to reject claims. This has led U.S. media outlets to suggest that the murder could be linked to an insurance dispute, raising suspicions that frustration over denied claims may have been the motive behind the killing.
Thompson was shot and killed on the streets of Midtown Manhattan while en route to an annual investor event at the Hilton Hotel. The assailant, a man wearing a black mask, approached Thompson as he was walking, firing the fatal shots.
After the shooting, the suspect fled the scene on an electric bicycle and was last seen heading toward Central Park. Police have since deployed drones, helicopters, and K-9 units to search for the suspect, but as of now, two days after the incident, the suspect remains at large.