Killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson left a message on bullets

The NYPD has launched a manhunt for the suspect and is offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to an arrest. Anyone with information is urged to contact the NYPD.

Footage from surveillance cameras and a new set of pictures, the New York police have launched a manhunt to track the man suspected of gunning down UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan on December 4.

Investigators believe the assailant, who wore a mask, left a message on scene of what police described as a targeted attack. The shell casings and the  live 9-millimeter rounds found on the scene had the words “deny,” “depose” and “defend” carved on them, reports said.

Thompson, 50, was shot multiple times from back at around 6.46 am outside the Hilton Hotel on Sixth Avenue, where he was scheduled to host an investors' conference.

Authorities were examining if the engraved words were linked to grievances against the health insurance industry.

The message appears strikingly similar to the title of the 2010 book “Delay, Deny, Defend,” which criticises insurance companies for denying claims.

The book’s author, Rutgers Law School professor emeritus Jay M Feinman declined to comment when contacted by police, the New York Post said.

Thompson’s estranged wife, Paulette “Pauley” Thompson, confirmed to NBC News that her husband had recently received threats. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage?” she said, suggesting the threats were tied to his role at UnitedHealthcare.

The company, the largest private health insurer in the US, has faced criticism for rejecting customer claims and is being investigated by the Department of Justice for potential antitrust violations.

Surveillance footage shows the gunman, wearing a mask and armed with a silenced weapon, waiting for Thompson outside the luxury hotel. He fired multiple shots at close range, even clearing a jammed weapon during the attack.

Thompson collapses after being struck and attempts to crawl away as the gunman continues to fire. The killer leaves behind a phone discarded in a nearby alley as he leaves the scene.

Thompson was rushed to Mount Sinai West Hospital after the attack but was pronounced dead at 7.12 a.m.

Investigators have a search warrant to examine the device, which could provide crucial leads.

“This does not appear to be a random act of violence,” NYPD chief of detectives Joe Kenny said during a press briefing. “Based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear that the victim was specifically targeted.”

UnitedHealthcare confirmed that Thompson had received threats in the past, though such incidents were not uncommon for executives in the industry.

Thompson, who earned a yearly salary of nearly $9.9 million, was a husband and father of two sons.

The NYPD has offered $10,000 for information leading to an arrest.

(This report is based on information from New York Post)