Report: Suspect in CEO killing linked to Atlanta before traveling to NYC

The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson traveled on a Greyhound bus that started its route in Atlanta before the fatal shooting, investigators said Thursday night, according to a report by CNN.

ATLANTA (41NBC/WMGT) — The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson traveled on a Greyhound bus that started its route in Atlanta before the fatal shooting, investigators said Thursday night, according to a report by CNN.

According to the report, the gunman, who remains at large, traveled to New York’s Port Authority bus terminal on November 24, 10 days before the shooting. The bus came from Atlanta, but authorities have not confirmed if the suspect boarded there or at a stop along the route.

Greyhound said it’s cooperating with the investigation but declined to provide additional details.

After arriving in Manhattan, the suspect reportedly stayed at a hostel on the Upper West Side, using a fake New Jersey driver’s license to check in and paying in cash, according to CNN. He checked out on November 29 before returning the following day.

Authorities say Thompson was ambushed Wednesday morning outside his midtown Manhattan hotel as he headed to UnitedHealthcare’s annual investor conference. The suspect fled the scene on an e-bike.

According to a report by The Associated Press, law enforcement recovered shell casings marked with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose,” phrases often used by critics of the health insurance industry. The gunman was captured on security footage before the shooting, including images of him buying items at a nearby Starbucks.

Police released surveillance images of a “person of interest” taken inside the hostel and are urging the public to come forward with tips. Assistant Commissioner Carlos Nieves said investigators are pursuing every lead.

“That little piece of information could be the missing piece of the puzzle that ties everything together,” he said.

Thompson, who lived in a Minneapolis suburb with his family, had been CEO of UnitedHealthcare for more than three years. His wife told NBC News he had recently received threats, which she said could have been related to insurance coverage issues.

Police continue to search for the suspect using drones, helicopters and dogs.