Police Recover Backpack Belonging to Midtown Assassin
Police Say They Have Recovered the Backpack Belonging to the Midtown Assassin Who Executed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
Police say they have recovered the backpack belonging to the Midtown assassin who executed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson after retracing his steps leading up to Wednesday’s shocking killing.
NYPD Tracks Suspect’s Movements
The NYPD now believes the hooded killer fled the Big Apple via a bus out of the Port Authority Bus Terminal. While police say they have still yet to identify or locate the gunman, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny says detectives have been able to track his moments from the moment he arrived in Manhattan at the terminal via a Greyhound bus on Sunday, November 24 at 10:11 p.m.
Suspect’s Stay at Hostel
Police say they are still determining what stop he got on. The killer apparently did not use an ID to purchase the bus ticket, and the passenger manifest may contain other aliases from other riders.
What cops do know is that the assassin arrived Sunday night at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, then hopped in a cab for a ride to a hostel at 891 Amsterdam Avenue, where he stayed.
Five days after his arrival, on November 29, detectives believe the suspect checked out of the hostel, though he checked back in the following day, according to hostel records.
A Careful Stay at Hostel
While staying at the hostel, Kenny stated, the perpetrator was careful to keep his mask during his stay, even while eating, while sharing a space with strangers. The only time he appeared to slip up, Kenny said, was when the perpetrator pulled down his mask while flirting with a female receptionist to flash her a smile.
Surveillance Footage
Security cameras inside the hostel caught that moment, which police obtained and released as part of its investigation. While online debate persists over whether it is the same man depicted in earlier footage, Kenny is confident the suspect is the assassin behind Thompson’s death.
Timeline of the Murder
Surveillance footage shows the suspect leaving the hotel at about 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, December 4, on a bicycle. About 11 minutes later, at 5:41 a.m., security footage taken at the time shows the suspect outside the Hilton Hotel wandering around that vicinity.
Cameras caught the suspect pacing back and forth before he entered a nearby Starbucks, where he purchased a water bottle and an energy bar.
The Hit
Nearly an hour later, at 6:44 a.m., the hit took place. Video footage shortly after Thompson was gunned down shows his assassin entering Central Park near 60th Street, then exiting the park on Central Park West at about 6:56 a.m.
Two minutes later, cameras caught the assassin riding the bike near the corner of 85th Street and Columbus Avenue. Around 7 a.m., the suspect was spotted walking northbound near 86th Street, this time without the bicycle.
At 7:04 a.m., cops said, cameras catch the suspect heading into a taxi cab on 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. About 30 minutes later, at 7:30 a.m., the perpetrator is seen heading toward the George Washington Bridge near the Port Authority Bus Terminal. From the terminal, it’s believed the assassin fled out of town.
Investigation
On Friday evening, police reported that they located a backpack believed to have belonged to the assassin lying between boulders just south of the Central Park Carousel. Law enforcement sources have not indicated what, if anything, was inside.
Kenny explained on December 6 that the NYPD has had hundreds of officers and detectives deployed across Manhattan looking for evidence related to the assassination, including the suspect’s bike and handgun — both of which have not yet been found.
"We have hundreds of detectives working on, detectives on the video, on everything, on all, every asset the detective bureau is available for this case," Chief Kenny said.
Conclusion
The investigation into Wednesday’s brazen Midtown shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is "progressing," law enforcement sources said, as the hunt for his assassin enters its second day with the release of surveillance images of his face.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the motive behind the assassination?
A: The motive is still unknown, but police believe it may be related to the suspect’s stay at the hostel.
Q: Has the killer been identified or located?
A: No, the killer has not been identified or located.
Q: What is the current state of the investigation?
A: The investigation is ongoing, with hundreds of officers and detectives deployed across Manhattan.
Q: What evidence has been found so far?
A: A backpack believed to have belonged to the assassin, shell casings with words written on them in a sharpie marker, and surveillance footage.
Q: Is there any connection to the 2010 book "Depose, Delay, Deny"?
A: Yes, police believe the killer may have been inspired by the book, which criticizes the healthcare industry for denying medical services to customers.
