The investigation into and search for the masked gunman who stalked and killed the head of UnitedHealthcare has moved into its third day. Possible leads have emerged about his travel before the shooting and a message scrawled on ammunition found at the crime scene.
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FBI Offers $50,000 Reward for Information Leading to Gunman’s Arrest and Conviction
The FBI announced Friday night that it was offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of the shooter who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer.
The FBI’s New York Field Office is working with the New York City Police Department to identify the gunman.
Police Believe Gunman Who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Has Left New York City
The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer may have fled the city on a bus, New York City police officials told CNN on Friday.
Video of the suspected shooter leaving the scene of the shooting Wednesday showed him riding a bicycle to Central Park and later taking a taxi cab to a bus depot, Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told CNN.
“We have reason to believe that the person in question has left New York City,” Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
Gunman’s Steps After Killing Give Police New Clues
The gunman who killed the CEO of the largest U.S. health insurer made sure to wear a mask during the shooting yet left a trail of evidence in view of the nation’s biggest city and its network of security cameras that have aided authorities piecing together his movements and his identity.
A law enforcement official said Friday that new surveillance footage shows the suspect riding the subway and visiting establishments in Manhattan and provided more clues about his actions in the days before he ambushed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The gunman’s whereabouts and identity remain unknown Friday, as did the reason for Wednesday’s killing. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack.
For Many Companies, Investor Meetings Are Seen as a Risk
In many companies, investor meetings like the one UnitedHealthcare CEO Thompson was walking to when he was fatally shot are viewed as very risky because details on the location and who will be speaking are highly publicized.
“It gives people an opportunity to arrive well in advance and take a look at the room, take a look at how people would probably come and go out of a location,” said Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management Services, which is based in the greater Seattle area.
Some firms respond by beefing up security. For example, tech companies routinely require everyone attending a major event, such as Apple’s annual unveiling of the next iPhone or a shareholder meeting, to go through airport-style security checkpoints before entering.
Others forgo in-person meetings with shareholders.
Another Health Insurer Takes Precautions Following Shooting
Medica, a Minnesota-based nonprofit health care firm that serves 1.5 million customers in 12 states, said it’s temporarily closing all six locations.
The firm has offices in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Nebraska and North Dakota, and employs about 3,000 people. Employees will work from home, Medica spokesman Greg Bury said in an email Friday.
“The safety of Medica employees is our top priority and we have increased security both for all of our employees,” a statement from Medica said. “Although we have received no specific threats related to our campuses, our office buildings will be temporarily closed out of an abundance of caution.”
Bury also said biographical information on the company’s executives was taken down from its website as a precaution.
Centene Corp. Moves Investor Day to Virtual Format
The insurer cited the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in its announcement about the Dec. 12 event.
“All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected. Health insurance is a big industry and a small community; many members of the CenTeam crossed paths with Brian during their careers,” Centene CEO Sarah M. London said in a news release. “He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care. Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.”
Centene Corp. has grown in recent years to become the largest insurer in Medicaid, the state- and federally funded program that covers care for people with low incomes. Insurers manage Medicaid coverage for states, and Centene has more than 13 million people enrolled in that coverage.
UnitedHealth Group Says It’s Focused on Supporting Thompson’s Family
The insurance company also said it’s focused on ensuring the safety of employees and assisting investigators.
“While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place,” the company said.
NYC Mayor Confident Police Will Arrest Shooter
NY Mayor Eric Adams provided no new information on investigation’s progress during interviews.
But he said Friday that he’s confident police will arrest the shooter.
“We are on the right road to apprehend him and bring him to justice,” Adams said on TV station WPIX.
UnitedHealthcare Removes Executive Info After Shooting
Hours after the shooting, UnitedHealthcare removed photographs of its executives from its website.
Later, it removed their names and biographies entirely.
Investigators Trace Suspect’s Possible Bus Travel to NY, Collecting Info from Greyhound
Police and federal agents have been collecting information from Greyhound in an attempt to identify the suspect and are working to determine whether he purchased a ticket from Atlanta to New York in late November, a law enforcement official said.
Investigators were also trying to obtain additional information from a cellphone recovered from a pedestrian plaza through which the shooter fled.
Police Test DNA and Fingerprints on Discarded Bottle
Police said Thursday they found a water bottle and protein bar wrapper from a trash can near the scene of the ambush and think the suspect bought them from a Starbucks minutes before the shooting. The items were being tested by the city’s medical examiner.
The Association Press contributed to this report.