The NYPD has recovered a backpack believed to belong to the masked gunman who brazenly assassinated UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was brutally murdered in a targeted attack outside a Manhattan hotel on Wednesday, where he was scheduled to attend UnitedHealth Group’s annual investor conference.
Surveillance footage reveals a masked assailant approaching Thompson from behind and firing multiple shots.
Despite an initial jam, the shooter quickly cleared the weapon and resumed firing, showcasing a high level of skill and experience.
“It does seem that he’s proficient in the use of firearms as he was able to clear the malfunctions pretty quickly,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said at the news conference.
After the attack, the gunman fled the scene on an e-bike, disappearing into Central Park.
Detectives investigating the assassination have uncovered a potential motive: shell casings at the crime scene were inscribed with words.
The inscribed shell casings—three live 9mm rounds and three discharged casings—bearing the words “Deny,” “Defend,” and “Depose”—were found among the evidence collected at the scene.
The suspect, whose identity remains unknown, reportedly fled the city immediately after the attack, boarding a bus at the Port Authority terminal in Washington Heights.
Surveillance footage captured the suspect navigating the city with meticulous care, using cash for transactions, wearing a mask to conceal his face, and even evading detection in the subway system.
According to police sources, the suspect’s calculated behavior indicates a premeditated murder with the intent to avoid capture.
On Friday evening, police discovered a backpack in Central Park that was believed to belong to the suspect, according to ABC News.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny confirmed the discovery and noted the suspect was seen wearing the backpack before the crime but appeared without it in later footage.
The unopened bag has been sent for forensic analysis to extract potential DNA, fingerprints, or other evidence that could identify the suspect.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Kenny described the backpack as “very distinctive” and noted that its recovery could provide crucial leads in the case, per the New York Post.
More from the news outlet:
Paul Dering, the founder and chief executive of Peak Design, told The New York Times he thinks the backpack worn by the gunman in the surveillance photos released by the NYPD could be a version of the “Everyday Backpack” his company sells.
Dering said the at-large suspect’s backpack appears to be an older version that was on the market from 2016 and 2019, according to the report.
Dering said he reported the backpack’s likeness to the NYPD’s tip line and the person who answered the phone said they had already received “hundreds” of tips about the bag being a Peak Design product, according to the outlet.
Kenny said the NYPD deployed more than 100 officers, along with drones, to Central Park Friday to look for clues as investigators have been following the gunman’s escape path.
On Friday night, more than two dozen cops with flashlights were seen scouring the area near the Naumburg Bandshell entrance to Rumsey Playfield.
Bullets recovered from the crime scene in front of the Hilton hotel in Midtown are also being tested to see if they match bullets from any prior shootings, Kenny said Friday.
Investigators believe the suspect fled New York City via an interstate bus, as surveillance footage captured him entering the George Washington Bridge Bus Station near 178th Street and Broadway approximately an hour after the shooting.
Investigators are reporting that the shooter may have left on a bus to Atlanta. The alleged shooter is believed to have arrived in New York from Atlanta.
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