A former New York City Police Department (NYPD) lieutenant and former NYPD commander discuss the manhunt for the suspect who shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson and what law enforcement is doing to track him down. is made clear.
“He's not a professional, but he's very calculating. He obviously planned this very carefully as well. He had his escape route planned out and everything planned out before that,” Joe Cardinale said. told FOX News Digital.
Mr. Cardinale may be a person involved in a civil lawsuit with United Healthcare, or at least an associate, due to the fact that the gunman left behind bullet holes and messages such as “Release Me.” , adding that he doesn't think this is a coincidence or a “wrong place.” “I got the time wrong.”
The words “denial,” “exile,” and “defense” were written on the bullets and shell casings left behind by the assassins after the shooting.
This word is probably derived from the word “delay.” rejection. A book published by Jay Feynman in 2010, “Advocacy: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.” Fox News Digital was unable to reach Feynman or the book's publisher, Delden Press, for comment.
“I'm still not convinced that this is the person who happened to be with him that morning. I think he was well aware of where Mr. Thompson was at that time. Now, he… How did they get that knowledge? That's the big million-dollar question now,” Cardinale said. “He left these clues, he destroyed them, and he planned it all along.”
Cardinale said he has seen this behavior from criminals in the past, and they have become arrogant and feel they are “smarter than the police.”
What we know about the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
- Brian Thompson, CEO of insurance giant UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed in a “brazen, targeted attack” outside a luxury midtown hotel on Wednesday, police said.
- The methodical killer used a silenced gun outside the Hilton Hotel on Sixth Avenue.
- The gunman fired multiple shots at Thompson, striking him in the back and right calf, before fleeing on foot.
- The NYPD releases new photos of the hooded suspect standing in front of the Starbucks counter at West 56th Street and Sixth Avenue, just minutes from the Hilton Hotel where Thompson, 50, was shot and killed. did.
- Mr. Thompson was appointed CEO of UnitedHealth in April 2021. He joined the company in 2004. He was one of several senior executives at the company under investigation by the Justice Department.
- Thompson's wife, Paulette, said she had received threats before her husband was killed.
- The New York City Police Department is investigating whether live bullets or shell casings left behind by a masked assassin may have been engraved with messages that appear to include the words “denial,” “resign,” and “defense.”
Follow the Post's live updates on news about Brian Thompson's murder.
“They want to commit the perfect crime, but they're doing it to let it be known that it's me. I mean, if he's showing his face and he doesn't know there's a camera there. Maybe it was that flirtatious moment they discussed. Maybe it was just for the sake of it. But I even said it was someone I wanted to talk to because I had actually had a conversation with him, the hostel clerk.” Cardinale said when talking about the dignitaries who showed up inside the lobby.
Thompson's wife, Paulette, also said her husband had received death threats.
“There have been some threats,” Thompson's wife said. NBC News.
“Basically, we don’t know, but there is a shortage.” [health care] coverage? I don't know the details. All I know is that he said there were people threatening him. ”
When asked why the NYPD has not released the names of persons of interest, Cardinale said there are elements of the case that the public needs to know and do not need to know at this time.
“They're giving him everything they can without compromising the case that once he's caught he needs to move forward and get a conviction. So we can't reverse our claims before the case is established just to make it public,” Cardinale said.
He said authorities know the person of interest is watching and listening, knows everything that's going on at the moment, and is probably “fascinated” by the attention he's receiving. He added that there is a high possibility that there will be.
Cardinale praised the NYPD and FBI, saying they did everything right in this investigation and are taking all information seriously.
“I'm sure information will come in because this man's face is now on a national platform through all the media. Someone has to recognize this person and he[needs attention]. That's because people (people) have to know that.” You have to know that he left those clues. And I think that's going to be when he gets caught, he's going to make it his moment in the sun,” Cardinale said.
The manhunt now spans multiple states and entered its fifth day on Sunday.
The FBI on Sunday released new images of a person of interest and is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the suspect's arrest.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA.
Tips can also be submitted to the Crime Stoppers website by visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.com.
Fox News Digital's Christina Coulter, Christina Shaw and Ashley Papa contributed to this report.
