NEW YORK — Police don’t know who he’s, the place he’s or why he did it.
Because the irritating seek for UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s killer continued for a fifth day Sunday, investigators reckoned with a tantalizing contradiction: They’ve troves of proof, however the shooter stays an enigma.
One conclusion they’re assured of, nonetheless: It was a focused assault, not a random one.
They know he ambushed Thompson at 6:44 a.m. Wednesday as the chief arrived at a Hilton resort for his firm’s annual investor convention, utilizing a 9 mm pistol that resembled the weapons farmers use to place down animals with out inflicting a loud noise. They know ammunition discovered close to Thompson’s physique bore the phrases “delay,” “deny” and “depose,” mimicking a phrase utilized by insurance coverage trade critics.
The truth that the shooter knew UnitedHealthcare group was holding a convention on the resort and what route Thompson may take to get there urged that he could possibly be a disgruntled worker or shopper, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny stated.
Over the weekend, police divers have been seen looking out a pond in Central Park, the place the killer fled after the taking pictures. Officers have been scouring the park for clues and located the person’s backpack there Friday. They didn’t instantly reveal what, if something, it contained however stated it might be examined and analyzed.
Investigators have urged persistence, saying the method of logging proof that stands up in court docket isn’t as fast because it appears to be like on TV.
A whole bunch of detectives are combing by way of video recordings and social media, vetting ideas from the general public and interviewing individuals who may need data, together with Thompson’s household and coworkers and the shooter’s randomly assigned roommates on the Manhattan hostel the place he stayed.
Investigators caught a break after they got here throughout safety digicam photographs of an unguarded second on the hostel wherein he briefly confirmed his face.