Transcript of New York police issue new photos in hunt for killer of insurance boss | BBC News

Is this the face of a killer involved in the targeted murder of one of America's most prominent CEOs? While police in New York have released this image of someone they say is a person of interest in the killing of the head of one of America's biggest insurance companies as their manhunt continues. Brian Thompson was shot in the street outside a hotel in the city. Ross Atkins of BBC Verify has our top story.

Brian Thompson was shot dead on Wednesday morning. He was attacked a few blocks from Times Square and Central Park, just outside the Hilton Hotel in Manhattan. Police now say this man is a person of interest as they pursue their investigation. The first known sighting of the gunman is by the 57th Street subway station. This CCTV image, obtained by the Washington Post, is timestamped 6:15. The next sighting, according to US media, is 6:17 at a Starbucks. The police released this image from inside the cafe. Then at 6:30, we see the same man in this video, published by the New York Times. He appears to be on the phone. Nearby is the Hilton Hotel, hotel. Brian Thompson was attending a conference there, and according to police, at around 6:40, the gunman arrived and waited. Minutes later, this video shows Mr. Thompson by the hotel. The gunman approaches and takes aim. He ignores a bystander close by who flees as the shooting begins. Also, if we zoom in, after the initial shot, the gun appears to temporarily jam, and one firearms expert told us the gun may have a silencer. After the shooting, the assailant runs across the street, leaving Brian Thompson lying on the ground.

Police say he then walked into a nearby alleyway and then, using a bike, headed north towards Central Park. We have this image from the police showing someone in the same outfit with the same rucksack. According to police, he then rode into Central Park. By this point, it's 6:48 The final possible sighting is on West 85th Street. Our US partner, CBS, reports police are analyzing this surveillance footage from just before seven o'clock. Thirteen minutes later, 7:12, at the Mount Sinai West Hospital, Brian Thompson was pronounced dead. Across New York, the search continues for his killer. Roz Atkins, BBC News.

So who was Brian Thompson? And why was he murdered? Neda Tawfik has more on that.

Combing through every inch of the crime scene to piece together not just the who, but the why. Police revealed that the words deny, defend, depose, were written on recovery heard shell casings there. The words appear to be a reference to an American saying about the tactics used by insurance companies to try to avoid paying people's health care claims. The evidence has added more weight to the police's belief that this was a targeted attack. They're talking to the police in his home. They're talking to corporate security. He's in a high-profile business, a business that gets a lot of complaints, and in those complaints, there may be some threats. So they're doing all of those things. It's a It was a very methodical process. Brian Thompson led United HealthCare, a successful for-profit insurance company, but one that came under scrutiny from lawmakers for systematically denying people's health claims, leaving them with large medical bills. He rose through the ranks of the company over several decades, becoming the CEO in 2021. As one of the company's highest paid executives, he earned more than $10 million between pay and stock. Relatively unknown to the wider public, his profile has already been removed from the company website.

At their headquarters in Minnesota, flags have been lowered to half mass to mourn his passing. But outside of the company, there's been less sympathy over his death. He previously He has recently faced criticism and allegations of insider trading. Before investors were told about a Justice Department antitrust investigation into the company, he sold $15 million worth of his company's shares. United Health care told Bloomberg at time that the company approved the sale. The Fevered Hunt continues for the 50-year-old's killer. New footage shows the suspect exiting a New York subway station half an hour before the shooting. Another crucial moment as police build a timeline of this rare and brazen attack in Midtown. Well, Clive, it seems like almost every hour there's new footage or new evidence that comes forward. Investigators are now looking into the fact that the suspect allegedly used a fake ID to check into a hostile in upper Manhattan. But the suspect was last seen leaving Central Park yesterday morning. So this hunt continues. Investigators keen to speak to as many people as possible and even offering a $10,000 reward for information.