A man in Altoona, Pennsylvania, is being questioned by authorities in connection to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
NBC New York reported that detectives have yet to determine whether the man being questioned is the suspect who killed Brian Thompson last week in Manhattan.
Currently, NYPD investigators are en route to Altoona to question the man being held.
NBC 4 News Steven Bognar stated the guy who is being questioned had a gun similar to the one used in the killing of Brian Thompson.
BREAKING: A man in Altoona, PA is being questioned by federal agents over the shooting of Brian Thompson, in part for having a gun similar to the one used in the shooting, per NBC. NYPD are en route.https://t.co/5SMA8g4DFH
— Talia Jane ❤️ (@taliaotg) December 9, 2024
Per NBC New York:
A man in the Altoona, Pennsylvania, area is being questioned Monday in connection with last week’s UnitedHealthcare CEO killing in Manhattan, in part because he was found with a gun similar to the one used in the shooting, according to two sources familiar with the matter.
The sources say it is too soon to determine if his case is connected to the death of Brian Thompson, but they are investigating it as a potentially significant development. NYPD detectives are headed to the area to question the person and assist investigators, the sources said.
The development comes as a private funeral is set to be held Monday for Thompson, the 50-year-old executive gunned down at point-blank range as he headed to a midtown hotel for an investors’ conference last week, according to a source familiar with the plans.
Five days after the shooting — by a man captured on surveillance cameras across Manhattan — the killer remains on the loose. The nation’s largest police department is after him, along with the FBI, as the trail takes detectives to Atlanta. Despite obtaining a clear image of his face among other evidence, authorities have yet to identify him.
Two sources familiar with the matter say police are questioning a man in the Altoona, PA area in connection with the murder of the UHC CEO. Sources tell @jonathan4ny the guy had a gun similar to the one used in the shooting. NYPD en route to question/assist #nbc4ny…
— Steven Bognar (@Bogs4NY) December 9, 2024
On Saturday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams indicated to reporters Saturday that the UnitedHealth CEO’s shooter has been identified after a days-long ongoing manhunt.
However, he declined to say whether or not they have the suspect’s name, stating that he doesn’t want to tip off “the person we are seeking.”
“We do not want to give him an upper hand at all,” Adams said.
The NYPD released images Friday night showing the alleged murderer in the back of a taxi after fleeing the scene of the brazen early-morning shooting, Daily Mail reported.
According to the NYPD, the suspect’s carefully orchestrated movements began moments after the 6:48 a.m. shooting near Central Park. Surveillance cameras captured him entering the park and later exiting onto 77th Street in the Upper West Side at 6:56 a.m.
The assassin, still riding an electric bike, was next seen near 86th Street and Columbus Avenue. By 7:04 a.m., he abandoned his bike and entered a taxi at 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, heading north. Within 30 minutes, he reached the Port Authority bus terminal, where investigators believe he boarded a bus and fled the city.
The Daily Mail has also obtained newly released photos from the NYPD, showing the alleged killer seated in the back of a cab.
The Gateway Pundit reported that the NYPD had recovered a backpack on Friday believed to belong to the masked gunman who brazenly assassinated UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson.
The unopened bag has been sent for forensic analysis to extract potential DNA, fingerprints, or other evidence that could identify the suspect.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Kenny described the backpack as “very distinctive” and noted that its recovery could provide crucial leads in the case, per the New York Post.
According to NYPD officials, a Tommy Hilfiger jacket and Monopoly money were found inside the suspect’s backpack.
The NYPD has revealed that a cell phone recovered near the scene of the crime is believed to be a burner device, according to News Nation.
The burner phone found near the crime scene is seen as a significant piece of evidence by law enforcement. Authorities are working to retrieve fingerprints, DNA, and other clues from the device, as it may provide insights into the suspect’s communications and activities before the shooting. Even though it is considered a disposable phone, there is potential for it to yield critical information once it is unlocked
In addition to the burner phone, other items were left at the scene, such as shell casings with the words “deny,” “depose,” and “defend” inscribed on them.
This is a developing story…
