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NYPD now says UHC CEO shooter may not have been in Atlanta
As the manhunt for the gunman who shot and killed United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson continued into the weekend, NYPD said there's no evidence to support whether the shooter was ever actually in Atlanta. Here's what we're learning.
ATLANTA - As the manhunt for the gunman who shot and killed United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson continued into the weekend, there were growing questions surrounding the suspect's whereabouts prior to the shooting Wednesday morning and how much of his time may have been spent in metro Atlanta.
Surveillance video captured the moments the shooter waited for Brian Thompson to come out of the Hilton Midtown before firing the fatal shots using a gun equipped with a silencer and then fleeing from the scene.
Within hours of the investigation, details emerged that he’d boarded a Greyhound bus that originated in Atlanta to get to New York—leaving local residents who ride the bus in shock.
"For him to get on the bus with all these people and to go up there and shoot this man down like that … I just think like this world is coming to an end," one resident said.
"It makes you think. It makes you be more aware of your surroundings, because there’s no indication that this person was going to cause any harm to anyone," another man told FOX 5. "I don’t know, we’re just living in some dark times right now."
In the days after the incident, reports that the gunman may have come back to Atlanta after the targeted attack began circulating.
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New photos of NYC shooting suspect
New photos of the man suspected of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson were released overnight by New York police.
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Police in New York clarified Saturday there’s no evidence to support that, and it’s also still unknown whether the gunman was in Atlanta at all.
NYPD investigators told FOX 5 that bus did originate in Atlanta, but there were multiple stops along the route. Right now, police aren’t sure where exactly the shooter boarded the bus.
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It’s one of many questions they hope to answer as the investigation and search for the suspect continue. If you have any information, give detectives with NYPD a call.
Who is Brian Thompson?
Thompson, a father of two and CEO of the nation’s largest health insurer, had been with UnitedHealthcare since 2004. The company abruptly ended its investor conference following his death, stating its focus is on supporting his family and cooperating with investigators.
A Greyhound spokesperson confirmed the company is cooperating fully with authorities. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Police Department announced its involvement in assisting the NYPD but deferred all inquiries to New York investigators.
The killing has sent shockwaves through corporate America, prompting heightened security measures across the health insurance industry. The investigation remains ongoing.
The Source: FOX 5 Atlanta's Joi Dukes reported from Atlanta. Additional details in this story were provided by the New York Police Department, FOX News, The Associated Press, and previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports. FOX 5's sister stations in New York and Minneapolis also contributed to this report.