Words inscribed on bullet casings found at scene of UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting: Reports

Shell casings found at the scene where a masked gunman shot dead UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in front of a New York City hotel contained words inscribed on them, according to multiple reports.

Thompson, the chief executive of one of the nation's largest insurance providers, was found fatally shot around 6:45 a.m. Wednesday in midtown Manhattan in what police officials have said was a "brazen, targeted attack." The attack occurred as Thompson, 50, was set to speak at an investment conference at the New York Hilton Midtown, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Wednesday morning news conference.

The unidentified gunman "was lying in wait" for several minutes as other people walked by, Tisch said. Surveillance video shows the suspect stepping behind Thompson as he was walking and opened fire from close range, striking him multiple times.

At the scene, investigators found three shell casings in addition to a cellphone located in the alley where the shooter initially fled, the NYPD said.

Shooting of Unitedhealthcare CEO: A clue on bullet casings? Updates on manhunt for gunman who killed Brian Thompson

'Deny,' 'defend' and 'depose' found on bullet casings: Reports

The shell casings featured the words "deny," "defend" and "depose" written on them, multiple outlets reported, citing police sources familiar with the investigation.

ABC News was the first to report on words written on the bullet shell casings, followed by CBS News, NBC News and the New York Times. USA TODAY left a message Thursday morning with the New York Police Department that was not immediately returned.

In addition to the shells, police discovered a water bottle and a candy wrapper in the area where the shooter was waiting for Thompson, ABC reported, adding that the evidence, as well as the cellphone, are believed to be linked to the shooter.

Surveillance video of the scene obtained by several news outlets shows the roughly 15-second interaction in which the shooter, who police said was armed with a pistol affixed with a silencer device, attacks Thompson.

Investigators are still working to find the gunman, who was last seen riding an e-bike into Central Park. Police released several images of the shooter in which he can be seen wearing a dark-colored jacket with a hood over his head, a black facemask, black-and-white sneakers and a distinctive gray backpack.

Who was Brian Thompson? UnitedHealthcare CEO killed in shooting

Thompson, a father of two, was named CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021 after joining the company in 2004.

The company – the health insurance unit of UnitedHealth Group – provides coverage for more than 29 million U.S. individuals, according to the company's website. In 2024, UnitedHealthcare ranked number 8 on the Fortune Global 500, and its parent company, UnitedHealth Group employs 439,000 people, generating $379.5 billion in revenue in 2024, according to Forbes.

Thompson lived in Maple Grove, Minnesota, about 15 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

While the police departments in both cities said they didn't have any records of threats against him, Thompson's wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News her husband had been a target of threats.

Additionally, UnitedHealth Group was aware of concerning threats against its executives, CNN reported, citing a source with knowledge of the investigation. The company did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.

Following the shooting, Thompson was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

While officials said the motive for the shooting was unclear, "every indication is that this was a premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack,” Tisch said, also referring to the assault as "brazen.''

Contributing: Christopher Cann, Jorge L. Ortiz, Nick Penzenstadler, Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Words inscribed on bullet casings in Brian Thompson shooting: Reports