New York, Dec. 5, (dpa/GNA) – A suspect who shot and killed a US insurance executive in the heart of New York City’s Manhattan district was still on the run in the early hours of Thursday morning.
A large contingent of police, drones and sniffer dogs were deployed in the manhunt on Wednesday night, the New York Times (NYT) reported.
Brian Thompson, the head of US insurer UnitedHealthcare, was shot by an unknown assailant outside a hotel and residential building near Times Square on Wednesday morning.
The police said the 50-year-old succumbed to his injuries in hospital.
The NYT reported that the weapon used in the attack was equipped with a silencer when fired.
The motive for the crime was still unclear. According to the newspaper, citing investigators, Thompson had recently received threats. No further details were given.
A reward of $10,000 has been offered for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrator.
Police have requested the data from surveillance cameras in the area around the crime scene in order to gather more information about the identity of the perpetrator.
The authorities are also hoping to get some clues from a bicycle rental company after CCTV footage showed the fugitive riding into New York’s Central Park on a bike.
New York’s Mayor, Eric Adams, said the crime did not appear to be a random act of violence. Thompson, who lives in the state of Minnesota, was on his way to an investor event in Manhattan when he was attacked.
GNA