Police Find 3 Chilling Words on Bullet Casings Used by Killer of CEO Brian Thompson: Report

Mar. 15, 2025

The chilling detail emerged as the shooting suspect remains at large after what NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch described as a “brazen, targeted attack" during a press conference on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

Thompson, 50, was shot just before 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 4, outside the New York Hilton Midtown hotel. The masked gunman was“lying in wait”outside the building according to Tisch. Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny added that the gunman appeared to be “proficient” in the use of firearms.

According to ABC News, NYPD detectives are working to establish whether the words found on the casing were meant as a message from the shooting suspect and a hint at their motive. The words are similar to “Deny, delay, defend,” a phrase about the insurance industry to describe a strategy of rejecting claims.

Brian Thompson shooting suspect.NYPD

NYPD

Thompson was in New York City for an investors' conference taking place at the hotel, NYPD officials said at a press conference on Wednesday morning.

Police have saidthe partially-masked suspect fled towards Central Park on an electric Citi Bike after firing at least three shots at the healthcare executive and hitting him from behind in the back and leg. NYPD officials confirmed Thompson was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Brian Thompson.UnitedHealth Group

UnitedHealth Group

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The suspect remains at large as of Wednesday afternoon. He is described as a light-skinned male wearing a brown or cream-colored jacket, a black face mask, black and white sneakers and a “very distinctive grey backpack,” Kenny said. Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to his capture.

In apost on X(formerly known as Twitter), the NYPD shared three photos of the partially-masked suspect, urging anyone with information to contact police at 1-800-577-TIPS. Although police did not reveal the location where the images were taken, a law enforcement source told theNew York Timesthat the gunman had visited a Starbucks located about two blocks away from the scene of the shooting.

New York Hilton Midtown in New York City.Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg/Getty

Yuki Iwamura/Bloomberg/Getty

Thompson’s wife Paulette toldNBC Newsthat herhusband had been the subject of threatsbefore he embarked on his trip to New York. Thompson, who joined UnitedHealth Group in 2004 and became CEO in 2021, lived in Minnesota with his wife and theirtwo children,according toLocal Channel2 Now.

source: people.com