NYPD detectives arrived in Atlanta on Saturday following a large number of tips linked to the as-yet unidentified suspect wanted in the Wednesday shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York, sources told ABC News.
The Atlanta Police Department confirmed the arrival of the New York team but declined to give more specifics.
The suspect allegedly arrived in New York on Nov. 24 on a Greyhound bus that departed from Atlanta, though it is unclear exactly when he may have boarded. Sources told ABC News he was spotted on board in Washington, D.C.
The masked gunman shot Thompson at point-blank range at 6:44 a.m. on Dec. 4 outside the New York Hilton Midtown, where Thompson’s company was holding an investors conference. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch described the attack as “brazen” and “targeted.”
Police have learned that the suspect took a taxi to the Port Authority bus facility at 178th Street and boarded a bus out of New York City following the shooting, according to police.
The NYPD believes it is making good progress toward identifying the shooter but has so far not done so, sources told ABC News. Late Saturday, the NYPD released new images of the suspected shooter in what appeared to be the back of a cab. No further context was given.
The suspect is believed to have boarded a bus out of the city that made six or seven stops, police sources said. Investigators have followed leads in multiple states, the sources said.
The FBI is assisting the nationwide manhunt, according to law enforcement sources.
Investigators are continuing to comb New York City — where the suspect is believed to have spent 10 days before the shooting — for evidence.
The NYPD recovered a backpack that allegedly belonged to the suspect on Friday night. The bag had only two items inside — a Tommy Hilfiger jacket and Monopoly money — sources with knowledge of the ongoing investigation told ABC News Saturday.
On Saturday, officers searched a pond near Bethesda Fountain in Central Park. Police divers were involved in the hunt for evidence. It is unclear if officers recovered anything from the water.
Investigators believe they secured DNA samples from several pieces of evidence discovered at or near the crime scene, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
The DNA samples are currently at the NYC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to be run through databases for a possible match — a process that could take several days, the sources said.
Police were also able to extract a fingerprint off a water bottle the suspect bought at a Starbucks. The print is smudged, so it is unclear whether it will be helpful to the investigation, sources said.
Police have not yet recovered the distinctive gun used in the shooting.
“The shooter then walks toward the victim and continues to shoot,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said. “It appears that the gun malfunctions, as he clears the jam and begins to fire again.”
Written on the shell casings were the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” according to police sources.
The words on the bullets echo the title of the 2010 book “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.” Police are aware of the similarity, and are investigating whether one possible motive is anger at the insurance industry, sources said.
Centene, a major health insurer, said it would hold a planned in-person investor day in New York City next week virtually, according to a Friday statement citing Thompson’s killing.
“All of us at Centene are deeply saddened by Brian Thompson’s death and want to express our support for all of those affected,” Centene Chief Executive Officer, Sarah M. London said.
“He was a person with a deep sense of empathy and clear passion for improving access to care,” London added. “Our hearts are with his family and his colleagues during this difficult time.”
