Paul Mauro, a former New York City police officer and Fox News contributor, said the type of weapon used by the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside the Midtown Manhattan Hilton Hotel on Wednesday gives police an advantage. He mentioned rumors that the suspect may have worked as a hitman.
“There's been a lot of speculation about it being a hitman, a professional hitman, and all sorts of other things…I'm hesitant about that, and I would like people to be mindful of the fact that professional hitmen exist mainly in movies. I want to say, 'They don't really exist,''' Mauro told FOX News Digital. Mauro says everything we know so far is just speculation.
Footage obtained by Fox News Digital shows Thompson walking on the sidewalk outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan early Wednesday morning when a masked man shoots him and then flees the scene. There is.
“What we know so far is that he was very calm and obviously knew the route… That doesn't mean it wasn't a murder-for-hire. Something like that actually “The idea that this is a 'professional shooter' is something I'm skeptical about,” Mauro said.
UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in New York City on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, according to FOX News sources. (FOX 5 New York/WNYW | UnitedHealth)
Mauro said what makes the case even more interesting is the type of gun used.
“Now it looks like he has either a very long barrel or a silencer. Silencers are effectively illegal and very difficult to obtain. So a lot of them are homemade. That said, It could just be a matter of 'long-barreled guns,''' Mauro explained.
“It looks like you have to put the gun in the rack every time you fire it. That's unusual.”
He added that such guns exist and are designed to muffle sound, but there are also additional features that keep the slides of semi-automatic guns from breaking.
“That means after you shoot, you have to rack the gun's slide in order to shoot again. He does that in the video, and he may have added that he modified the gun. “These are like aftermarket additions that can be added to guns,” Mauro said.
“So, what I'm saying is, anybody who's knowledgeable about guns, and this gun in particular seems to be a rare type of gun, and that's a data point that police can track.”
Shocking video shows United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson shot dead in New York City
Billboards posted around midtown Manhattan ask for the public's help finding a suspect wanted in the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. There is. (Fox News)
Multiple law enforcement officials told Fox News they believe the weapon used in the killing was similar to the Welrod bolt-action suppressed pistol first used in World War II. Ta.
“I'd bet my pension that this is the weapon used on United CEO. It's very quiet and requires manual cycling after each bullet is fired. Up close and quiet work It is the top choice of professionals,” the source said. he told Fox News.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden also told FOX News Digital that the first item of forensic pathology is determining whether a bullet passed through.
“If there's a bullet going in or out, we need to do a thorough search for the bullet at the scene, rather than waiting until after the autopsy,” Baden said.
Baden said this was critical for investigators because by then the streets would have been cleared and they might not be able to discover where the bullets flew or their paths.
He added that Thompson died suddenly, likely due to lung damage, but that investigators would know more details within the next 24 to 48 hours.
UnitedHealthcare CEO shot dead in 'targeted' attack outside Manhattan hotel, suspects in large group
This map shows the reporting route taken by the suspect in the shooting death of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
“They'll know how many rounds were fired, how many went in and out, and they'll be able to recover the bullets and get more information on top of what's already recorded on the cartridges.” said Baden. “The unfired bullet is interesting, but as long as we say it came from his gun, it's irrelevant if they find the gun.”
The event was hosted by the Hilton Hotel. united healthcare The annual investor conference was in session, and police said Thompson had been in town from Minnesota since Monday and was staying across the street.
Mauro believes shooters would have had other opportunities to target Thompson since Thompson has been on the field since Monday, but the tournament appears to have been the starting point.
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New York City Crime Stoppers is offering a combined reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment.
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' Michael Ruiz, Danielle Wallace, Greg Wehner and Bill Melugin contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com.
