Police are questioning a man in central Pennsylvania in connection with last week’s murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to reports.
A source told CNN that investigators had received a tip about the man after he was spotted at a McDonald’s in Altoona by an employee who thought he looked like the suspect.
Authorities launched a manhunt on Wednesday after Thompson, 50, was ambushed and shot by a masked assailant close to the Hilton Hotel.
The unidentified figure approached Mr Thompson and shot him in the back and leg before fleeing on an e-bike.
Detectives have submitted additional media depicting the individual (NYPD)
CCTV footage captured him exiting the park and taking a taxi to a bus station in northern Manhattan, where police believe he used a bus to flee the city.
The killer’s motive remains unclear.
CNN reported that the suspect being questioned was found in possession of a gun, silencer and false identification cards similar to those used by the gunman.
One of the cards matched the name used by the suspected gunman to check into a hostel in Manhattan before the shooting.
Thompson had been CEO of UnitedHealth Group’s insurance unit since April 2021 (AP)
Thompson, a father of two, had been CEO of UnitedHealth Group’s insurance unit since April 2021, part of a 20-year career with the company. He had been in New York to attend the company’s annual investor conference.
Police said the killer had used a 9mm pistol, which resembled the guns farmers use to put down animals without causing a loud noise.
The FBI announced late on Friday that it was offering a £39,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction, adding to a reward of up to £7,800 that the NYPD has offered.
Police say they believe the suspect acted alone.
Late on Saturday, police released two additional photos of the suspect that appeared to be from a camera mounted inside a taxi.
The first shows him outside of the vehicle and the second shows him looking through the partition between the back seat and the front of the cab.
In both, his face is partially obscured by a blue mask.