UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in Manhattan on Wednesday (December 4), with the gunman still at large. The FBI has now joined forces with the New York Police Department to handle the case, offering an additional $50,000 reward to apprehend the suspect quickly.
The FBI office in New York City announced on Friday night (December 6) that a reward of up to $50,000 is being offered for information leading to the capture and conviction of the shooter. Prior to this, the NYPD had already offered a reward of up to $10,000.
“On the morning of December 4, 2024, around 6:40 a.m., a 50-year-old male victim was shot outside 1335 Avenue of the Americas in Midtown Manhattan. The FBI is assisting the NYPD in handling this case,” said the FBI in a wanted poster, “We are seeking public assistance to identify the unknown suspect responsible for this homicide.”
Thompson was fatally shot outside the Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan early Wednesday morning, sustaining gunshot wounds to his back and right calf. He was on his way to an investor meeting at the hotel held by the company.
As of Saturday, the manhunt for the suspect had entered its fourth day. Multiple photos of the gunman have been released by the authorities, with the FBI also sharing these photos in the reward announcement on Friday night. Police have also discovered a cellphone and a fake ID, believed to belong to the suspect.
Authorities are examining the cellphone, but extracting data from it may prove to be challenging, depending on the model and operating system of the device.
According to CNN, former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe stated: “This is a problem that law enforcement at all levels has been grappling with for the past 10 years… due to end-to-end encryption and these incredibly secure locking processes on most phones.”
Authorities also found a water bottle that the suspect may have used, and relevant DNA evidence has been sent to the lab for testing.
However, the existence of DNA data might not be sufficient to identify the suspect. If the individual has a prior criminal record and their DNA is already in law enforcement databases, identifying them could be easier. But if the suspect has no previous criminal history, identifying them through DNA could become more challenging.
Police stated on Friday that the suspect likely has left New York and may have traveled to Atlanta, Georgia. Investigators are continuing to search for more evidence. It is believed that the suspect had traveled from Atlanta to New York before the attack occurred.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch described this as a “targeted” attack.