In New York, the search for the criminal who shot the president of the largest American insurance company in the center of Manhattan continues. He was a white man, but he had a mask and had a well-prepared escape route. His trail ended in Central Park. Police have not yet identified his identity and motive.
It was morning in Manhattan, New York. Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old president of United Healthcare, a health insurance company, walks in front of one of the many surveillance cameras. After some time, the second man can be seen in the video. He points the silenced gun at Thompson's back. He fires a few shots and then runs away. There are many people around, many witnesses, one of them even managed to take a photo of the attacker with his phone. – Looking at the phone, I heard the sound of gunshots. When I raised my head, I saw a guy with a gun – he reports.
– I was parking my car, three shots were heard. I saw a man lying down and then a boy running away. It was a white man with a backpack and dressed all in black – described another witness.
Thompson came to New York from Minnesota for a conference to be held on Sixth Avenue in midtown Manhattan. The very heart of the city, which is bustling from early morning. But the attacker did not care about this.
– I pass this way often. I have insurance with United Healthcare, so I'm especially interested in what's going on, says the New York resident. – It is crazy that such incidents happen. This is a city of opportunities, not murders and deaths, explains another resident.
Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealth, has died in Manhattan
Police: the attack was intentional
According to the police, everything indicates that the attack was deliberate. – This was a deliberate attack. Brian Thompson was on his way to an investor conference at the Hilton Hotel. There are cameras everywhere, in fact they are all over the city. The killer knew Thompson would be here. Sky News reporter Diana Magnay says he arrived at the scene five minutes ago and opened fire.
According to the police, the suspect fled from the vicinity of the hotel towards Central Park. CBS has obtained surveillance footage that appears to show the killer about fifteen minutes after the crime was committed.
READ ALSO: He was found alive the night his parents were killed. “It's Jaime Kloss! Call the police!”
– Many people passed by the suspects, but it seemed that he was waiting for his target. The suspect first fled on foot and then on an electric bicycle. Jessica Tisch of the New York Police Department said she was last seen in Central Park early this morning.
The police also determined that the suspect went to a nearby cafe a few minutes before the murder. The cameras' photos are so good that they can be analyzed by facial recognition software, according to CNN. – The investigative efforts of the New York Police Department continue at full speed. We will not rest until we identify and arrest the killer in this case, says Jessica Tisch.
Mysterious writings on bullet casings
As CNN was informed, bullet casings with mysterious inscriptions were found at the scene: “denial”, “protection”, “from the throne”. Investigators are trying to determine what these words mean and whether they can indicate a motive for the crime.
According to local media, the shots that took the life of a 50-year-old director of a large company were most likely made by an educated person. This, among other things, indicates that the attacker was able to jam the weapon.
See also: Six dead bodies in an exclusive hotel. Police on the cause of death
– We see a bandit who is smart and ready. He preemptively arrived at the scene and then shot the victim in the back, notes Richard Esposito, a former New York police officer.
After the assassination, many U.S. health care providers increased personal protections for their executives. Brian Thompson has been with United Healthcare for 20 years. He took the position of general director three years ago. This company is one of the largest providers of such services in the country. Provides medical care to more than 49 million Americans.
Facts about the world TVN24 BiS
Main image source: CNN
