Bullets that an unidentified gunman used to shoot and kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Wednesday morning had words written on them, CBS News has confirmed.
The words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” appeared on shell casings recovered from the scene of the shooting in New York City, according to law enforcement officials. The officials said they are examining whether the words relate to a possible motive involving insurance companies and their responses to claims. ABC News first reported this information.
Thompson, 50, was shot multiple times before 7 a.m. ET Wednesday, by a masked gunman who fled the area before police arrived. The shooting happened in a busy section of Manhattan outside of the Hilton Midtown hotel, where the executive was set to attend a conference for UnitedHealthcare investors. Thompson had been staying at the Marriott across the street, authorities said.
Security footage showed him walking up to the Hilton at around 6:45 a.m., when a gunman who police said had been lying in wait for several minutes proceeded to shoot him at least once in the back, and, later, at least once in the leg. The suspect was seen approaching Thompson briefly in the video before crossing the street. He then took off on a bike and headed to Central Park.
The gunman remained at large Thursday morning.
Although authorities have not given a possible motive for the shooting, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described it as a “premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack” at a Wednesday news conference. Police did not directly respond when asked by reporters whether Thompson had known enemies prior to his his death or been blamed for insurance recipients’ lack of coverage under UnitedHealthcare. Issues with coverage sparked protests in Minnesota, where the company is headquartered and where Thompson lived.
Eric Werner, the police chief in Maple Grove, Minnesota, the Minneapolis suburb where Thompson lived, said his department had not received reports of threats against Thompson, the Associated Press reported. But the CEO’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News on Wednesday that “there had been some threats” against her husband.
“Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know there were some people that had been threatening him,” she said.
Thompson did not have a security detail when he was killed, according to police.
This is a developing story and will be updated.