New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that authorities are closing in on the masked gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Speaking at a Police Athletic League holiday event in Harlem, Adams declared, “The net is tightening,” referring to the ongoing manhunt for the suspect.
When asked if police have identified the killer, Adams responded, “We don’t want to release that now. If you do, you are basically giving a tip to the person we are seeking, and we do not want to give him an upper hand. Let him continue to believe he can hide behind the mask. We revealed his face. We’re going to reveal who he is and bring him to justice.”
The mayor praised the cooperation among law enforcement agencies, describing their efforts as part of a “tri-state law enforcement partnership.” He added, “The manner in which they were able to follow his footsteps to recover evidence—some of it is known, some of it is unknown—shows the net is tightening.”
Thompson was ambushed and fatally shot while walking from his midtown hotel to an investor conference near several high-profile Manhattan landmarks. Police believe the attack was premeditated. Evidence, including a burner phone left in an alley and fingerprints on a water bottle, is being analyzed.
Sources have disclosed that the suspect wrote the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” on his ammunition, a phrase often used by critics of the insurance industry to describe tactics aimed at avoiding payouts. Law enforcement officials revealed that the shooter traveled by bus from Atlanta, Georgia, to New York City to commit the crime and is now believed to have returned to Atlanta.
