The Daily Populous Sunday December 8th, 2024 day edition
Authored by cbsnews.com and submitted by rbevans

Manhunt for CEO shooter intensifies as NYPD releases new pictures Manhunt for CEO shooter intensifies as NYPD releases new pictures 02:17

NEW YORK — The New York City Police Department released two new images of the person of interest wanted for questioning in the deadly shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside the Hilton Midtown hotel in Manhattan.

One picture released Saturday shows the person of interest in the back of a taxi, and another shows him walking on a sidewalk outside a vehicle. In both, he is wearing a mask and has a hood up.

The NYPD released new photos of a person of interest they want to speak to in connection to the Dec. 4, 2024 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. NYPD Crime Stoppers

NYPD divers search Central Park lake

Earlier that afternoon, NYPD divers were seen searching the lake in Central Park. Sources tell CBS News New York they were looking for the weapon used in the deadly shooting.

The search came one day after police found a backpack in Central Park, which law enforcement officials say they believe belongs to the suspected gunman. Sources told CBS News New York that the backpack contained a jacket, but not the gun police believe was used in the crime. The backpack is now being analyzed at an NYPD forensic lab for possible hair and DNA samples, sources say.

A backpack found in New York City's Central Park on Dec. 6, 2024, that investigators believe may have belonged to the suspected gunman who fatally shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. CBS News

Sources said investigators, including divers, were searching the lake around 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Citizen app video shows police tape on the southern end of the lake in Central Park, in the same area where the backpack was found.

"This corner, like not a big area, but this corner was blocked off with probably five policemen, one van, and then we saw scuba gear and a couple divers getting in, just kind of splashing around, looking only in this area," a witness named Charlotte D. said.

Sources tell CBS News New York the search so far has been unsuccessful.

Police closing in on person of interest in UnitedHealthcare CEO murder, mayor says

Mayor Eric Adams, who spoke to reporters at a Police Athletic League event in Harlem on Saturday, said "the net is tightening" as police are closing in on finding the person of interest who had been staying at an Upper West Side hostel and was caught on camera without his mask on during what sources say was a flirtatious moment with an employee.

Newly released surveillance photos show a person who police say they want to question after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed Wednesday outside a hotel in Midtown Manhattan. NYPD

Adams also said police know the person of interest's name, but are not sharing it publicly.

"We don't want to release that now. If you do, you are basically giving a tip to the person ... we're seeking, and we do not want to give him an upper hand at all. Let him continue to believe he can hide behind the mask," Adams said.

Police said the person of interest left his Upper West Side hostel around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, arriving at the Midtown Hilton just 11 minutes later. They say he placed at order at Starbucks around 6:17 a.m. before setting his eyes on Thompson and pulling the trigger at 6:46 a.m.

According to police, he then rode a bike to Central Park before grabbing a taxi, hopping out and then catching another taxi to Washington Heights, where he was seen on camera entering the Port Authority bus terminal. Police believe he left the city soon after.

The investigation is ongoing. The FBI is now offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

us1549 on December 8th, 2024 at 02:02 UTC »

The amount of resources expended for one murder is beyond anything that the average citizen would expect from the NYPD.

I want a reporter to ask the NYPD Commissioner if a similar amount of manpower would be used if the average citizen was murdered in a similar fashion?

Brian Thompson was a businessman in NYC for work. He's not an elected official or anyone else that should warrant additional resources that the NYPD won't give to their own citizens.

Despite what we were told, we're not all equal. Some are more equal than others.

RustyNK on December 8th, 2024 at 01:58 UTC »

Absolute insanity the amount of resources going into this. People get shot every day and don't get 1/10th the effort.

LSTNYER on December 8th, 2024 at 01:39 UTC »

I'd imagine there's more than one gun in that lake. Can't wait to read the article "Police inadvertently solve 10 murders, but are focusing on CEOs killing".