UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (WPIX) – Police on Thursday shared new images of the suspected shooter in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The photos are the first clear images that show the suspect’s face. In previous surveillance photos, the suspect’s face was covered by a mask.
The NYPD released the photos amid a city-wide manhunt that led police to two hostels on the Upper West Side. The hostels were searched after police received a tip that the suspected shooter may have stayed at one of the residences, according to an official briefed on the investigation.
This image provided by the New York City Police Department shows a man wanted for questioning in connection to the investigation of the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (New York City Police Department via AP)
According to an employee of Kama Central Park, one of the hostels, two detectives arrived on Thursday morning at 7 a.m. with a photo of the suspect and asked staff if they recognized the man. They did not, the employee said, and the detectives left soon after.
An employee at the nearby HI New York City hostel also confirmed that police had visited the location Thursday but declined to provide further information.
This image provided by the New York City Police Department shows a man wanted for questioning in connection to the investigation of the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (New York City Police Department via AP)
Brian Thompson, 50, was shot in the back and leg by a masked gunman just before 7 a.m. Wednesday in front of a Hilton hotel on 54th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues in Midtown, according to officials. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
His suspected killer fled the scene and headed toward Central Park on an e-bike, police said. He remains at large, and police are offering up to $10,000 for information that leads to an arrest in the case.
Police believe the shooting was targeted. On Thursday, sources told Nexstar’s WPIX that the words “defend,” “depose,” and “deny” were written on the bullet casings found at the scene.
The motive for the shooting remains unknown, police said.
This story comprises reporting from the Associated Press.
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