Cryptic Messages Found On Shell Casings At Scene Where Health Insurance CEO Was Gunned Down

Detectives investigating the scene where UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot on Wednesday found shell casings with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” written on them, according to ABC News.

As he was approaching the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan early Wednesday morning, Thompson, 50, was shot from behind by a man wearing a black hoodie and mask. Authorities said the shooting appeared to be a “brazen targeted attack,” and the suspect is still on the loose after fleeing the scene on foot before getting on a bike and riding into Central Park. NYPD detectives said they are trying to determine if the words written on the shell casings point to a possible motive for the shooting, ABC News reported.

Photos posted by the NYPD on Wednesday afternoon showed the suspect ordering at a Starbucks two blocks away from the Hilton hotel just before the shooting took place. In those photos, the suspect is wearing a black hood and mask, making only his nose and eyes visible.

These are additional images of the suspect sought in connection to this morning’s homicide. If you have any information about this incident, the suspect, or his location please contact @NYPDTips at 1(800)577-TIPS. https://t.co/rtfVynljXa pic.twitter.com/kUJr7l0nxZ

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) December 4, 2024

Thompson’s wife told NBC News that her husband had received multiple death threats, but she wasn’t sure of the specific details surrounding them. The New York Times reported that a law enforcement official confirmed that Thompson had received multiple threats before he was killed. Thompson’s wife guessed that the threats could have been related to “lack of coverage.”

UnitedHealthcare — a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, one of the largest companies in the world — has been criticized for denying patients’ claims. Last year, UnitedHealth was sued by the families of two deceased former beneficiaries who allege that the company used artificial intelligence to deny extended care coverage that doctors had prescribed, CBS News reported. The lawsuit alleges that UnitedHealth knowingly used an AI model that had a 90% error rate.

Thompson and other UnitedHealth Group executives were also being investigated by the Department of Justice when he was gunned down.

On February 16 of this year, Thompson sold shares worth $15.1 million just two weeks before the public found out about a federal antitrust probe, according to Crain’s New York Business. The DOJ was reportedly investigating whether UnitedHealth Group violated antitrust laws by making acquisitions that consolidated its market position.

Thompson’s sale of his shares earlier this year was his first since taking over the company in 2021, according to the New York Post. Thompson, UnitedHealth Group Chairman Stephen Helmsley, Chief People Officer Erin McSweeney, and Chief Accounting Officer Tom Roos sold a combined $101.5 million in shares.

According to authorities, the shooter arrived outside of the Hilton hotel between five and ten minutes before Thompson and appeared to be waiting for the UnitedHealthcare CEO before opening fire.

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Video footage of the shooting showed the suspect, wearing all black with a gray backpack, approaching the health insurance CEO from behind and shooting him in the back. The shooter fired more shots at Thompson after he had fallen to the ground. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said during a press conference on Wednesday that the suspect’s gun appeared to malfunction, but the shooter fixed the jam and continued firing, showing he is likely familiar with using firearms.

Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information on the suspect.