New York authorities continued their intensive manhunt Monday for the individual who fatally shot Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, as fresh leads emerged suggesting investigators may be on the verge of naming a suspect. The search, now stretching into its sixth day, has grown increasingly complex, featuring underwater searches, international bus route checks, and a growing sense that an announcement could be imminent.
On Sunday, Mayor Eric Adams signaled progress when he addressed the city's efforts to find the gunman. "The net is tightening and we're going to bring this person to justice," Adams said on Saturday. He declined, however, to publicly reveal a suspect's name or confirm if one has been positively identified. "We don't want to release that now. If you do, you are basically giving a tip to the person we are find ... 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."
The murder occurred on the morning of December 4, when Thompson was shot outside a midtown Manhattan hotel. The case has garnered national attention, prompting a multi-agency search effort. Police are scrutinizing multiple aspects of the suspect's path, from rumored movements in New York City to potential travel routes as far south as Atlanta. According to law enforcement sources cited by CBS News, investigators with the NYPD and U.S. Marshals traveled to Atlanta to review surveillance footage from Greyhound bus stops along the route between Georgia and New York.
Divers from the New York Police Department have focused on Central Park's lake, returning to the water multiple times over the weekend and continuing their search on Monday. On Friday, a backpack authorities believe belonged to the suspect was discovered in the park. Inside it, they found a jacket-though not the one worn by the shooter-along with fake Monopoly money, but no weapon. The murder weapon's absence has only heightened the urgency to keep searching. NYPD officials maintain that recovering the firearm could yield critical leads, potentially linking it to its owner or shedding light on the killer's identity.
"They found the backpack here in Central Park, so it only makes sense that that's a good dumping ground for a gun," said retired NYPD officer Tom Walsh, speaking to CBS News. His assessment underscores the logic behind the repeated underwater searches, which have yet to yield the crucial piece of evidence.
Photographs released by the NYPD depict a masked individual in connection with the crime. Most of these images show the suspect's face obscured, including some taken in the back of and outside a taxi. Only one picture, reportedly snapped at a hostel prior to the shooting, shows the suspect's face uncovered-an image captured when a front desk clerk asked him to briefly remove his mask.
As investigators intensify their efforts to track the suspect's movements, officials say the FBI is issuing wanted posters and offering a $50,000 reward. The posters refer to the man as a suspect. Meanwhile, the suspect was allegedly last seen at a bus terminal in Washington Heights about 45 minutes after Thompson was killed, raising the possibility that he fled via intercity transport.
Thompson's murder has sent shockwaves through both his professional sphere and the public at large. While his death has drawn a grim reaction from some who harbored resentment against the health insurance industry's practices, authorities remain focused on securing justice. The executive leaves behind a widow and two sons, ages 16 and 19.
A private funeral was reportedly planned for Monday, as the family and loved ones grapple with their loss amid a still-unsolved crime.
