A manhunt has been launched by the New York Police (NYPD) to find the attacker who executed the CEO of the largest private health insurance company in the USA, UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, in downtown Manhattan, New York. In fact, the police are offering a reward of 10,000 dollars for information that will lead to the arrest of the perpetrator.

The words in the bullets

The attacker allegedly left an encrypted message on the bullets he used, police sources cited by the New York Post say.

While authorities are trying to find a motive for the murder, according to the NYPD, three intact bullets and three 9mm shell casings were found at the scene of the murder. Inscribed on them were the words ‘deny’, ‘depose’ and ‘defend’, suggesting the killer may have been trying to send a message.

Professional execution with errors – What was found

The 50-year-old Thompson – the CEO of UnitedHealthcare with an annual salary of nearly $9.9 million – was shot multiple times around 6:46 a.m. (New York local time) while outside a hotel to attend an investment conference.

“Based on the evidence we have, it appears this was a targeted attack,” Detective Chief Constable Joe Kenny said. “This action does not appear to be random.”

The gunman, using a silencer, executed Thompson, while showing experience and skill in handling the gun, as he managed to disarm it when it jammed.

The suspect was last seen riding a bicycle in Central Park minutes after the shooting, police said. Investigators have conducted searches in the area. At this time, police have not located the bike or the weapon used, investigators told CNN.

Investigators are also looking into whether the bike was prearranged because they believe the suspect may have taken the subway from the Upper West Side to Midtown, according to law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation.

However, the perpetrator made important mistakes that may prove decisive for his identification and arrest.

He bought coffee, a bottle of water and two energy bars from a well-known coffee chain before the killing and threw the coffee bottle and glass in a trash can – which police found and now have as evidence, sources said.

Investigators also discovered a phone in an alley near the hotel where the killing took place, which they believe belongs to the killer, the sources said. Investigators obtained a search warrant to comb through the contents of the phone.

Threats before murder

Brian Thompson’s wife, Paulette, said the family had received threats before the murder. “There were some threats, but I don’t know the details. All I knew was that Brian had mentioned that some people were threatening him,” he told NBC News.

UnitedHealthcare officials confirmed that Thompson had received threats, which sources said is common for people in leadership positions at health and insurance companies.

The video of the cold-blooded murder (warning, harsh images)

The moment the gunman shot Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, as he walked to the hotel for the investor conference, as seen in the videos captured by security cameras.