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UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting suspect, unmasked in new photos, believed to have left message on bullet casings

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UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting suspect, unmasked in new photos, believed to have left message on bullet casings

The suspected gunman wanted in the broad daylight slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is seen smiling in new surveillance images released by the New York City Police Department on Thursday. 

The unknown man’s face is shown for the first time in the two new images the NYPD released as the manhunt continues for a second day. 

“With these new photos, if indeed they are the shooter, it is now only a matter of time,” Fox News crime analysis contributor Paul Mauro told Fox News Digital. “Facial recognition and other technologies have come a long way, and my understanding is that the police have been making progress on other fronts in this case. It is truer than ever that you can’t get away with murder these days. The detectives will get whoever is behind this, and soon.”

The NYPD was spotted searching a hostel on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, and a Brazilian tourist staying there told Fox News he believes Thompson’s assassin was in the room next door to him. 

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The vice president of Hostelling International USA, which runs “HI New York City Hostel,” however, did not confirm the suspect stayed there. 

MANHUNT FOR UNITEDHEALTH CEO SHOOTING SUSPECT ENTERS SECOND DAY AS STARBUCKS VISIT DRAWS SCRUTINY

“We are fully cooperating with the NYPD and, as this is an active investigation, can not comment at this time,” Hostelling International USA Vice President Danielle Brumfitt Norris said in a statement. 

The floor design of the hostel appears to match that same black and white checkered pattern seen in the wanted photos shared by the NYPD. 

General view of the HI Hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, NY on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. (Jennifer Mitchell for Fox News Digital)

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New evidence also suggests that the suspect who killed Thompson on Wednesday may have left a message behind on the bullet casings at the scene.

A screenshot from surveillance footage released by the NYPD shows the alleged suspect wanted for the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (NYPD Crime Stoppers )

Police sources told the New York Post that the words “deny,” “depose” and “defend” were written on the live rounds and casings left behind by the assassin after the shooting.

A screenshot from surveillance footage released by the NYPD shows the alleged suspect wanted for the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024.  (NYPD Crime Stoppers )

Evidence also shows that each bullet and casing had just one word written on it leading them to believe he may have been trying to leave a message, sources said. The words on the ammunition may have been a reference to strategies insurance companies use to try to avoid paying claims, the Associated Press reported.

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A member of the NYPD Crime Scene Unit takes a picture of a shell casing found at the scene where the CEO of UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson was killed. (Shannon Stapleton/Reuters)

In a shocking video obtained by Fox News Digital, Thompson is seen walking down a New York City sidewalk when a masked man wearing a black hooded jacket and a backpack walks up behind him and raises a handgun.

SECURITY RAMPED UP FOR ANNUAL ROCKEFELLER CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING AFTER GUNMAN KILLED UNITEDHEALTHCARE CEO

PHOTOS OF SUSPECT INSIDE STARBUCKS:

The culprit fired off several shots. At one point, the gun appeared to jam. The assailant then appeared to smack the gun on the side while walking toward the victim, who was attempting to get away.

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Scene near the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan, NY where a man was shot to death Wednesday morning, according to police. The victim is reported to be 50 year-old, Brian Thompson, CEO of United Healthcare. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)

Following the shooting, the suspect walked between two vehicles, got onto a bike, then disappeared into Central Park, the NYPD said.

It was previously reported that the suspect used a Citi Bike – which can be tracked – but the NYPD has clarified that the incident did not involve that type of bike.

JOHN WALSH EXPLAINS WHY HE DOESN’T THINK UNITED HEALTHCARE CEO WAS KILLED BY A PRO | FOX NEWS VIDEO

Surveillance footage released by the NYPD shows the alleged suspect wanted for the shooting death of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (NYPD )

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Investigators hope accompanying evidence left behind will help identify him, including a cellphone discovered in an alleyway near the hotel where the shooting occurred as well as a cup in a trash can at a nearby Starbucks. 

A surveillance image released by the NYPD shows the suspect in the shooting death of United Healthcare CEO, Brian Thompson on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. (NYPD Crimestoppers)

UnitedHealth Group released a statement expressing their condolences and surprise at the day’s events.

This 2017 file photo of Brian Thompson was released via Businesswire when he was named Chief Executive Officer of UnitedHealthcare Unit in 2017. (Businesswire)

“We are deeply saddened and shocked at the passing of our dear friend and colleague Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. Brian was a highly respected colleague and friend to all who worked with him. We are working closely with the New York Police Department and ask for your patience and understanding during this difficult time. Our hearts go out to Brian’s family and all who were close to him.”

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Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS, or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA. Tips can also be submitted on the Crime Stoppers website by visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.com.

Fox News’ Tamara Gitt and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

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Los Angeles, Ca

LADWP begins long-term repairs after West Hollywood water main rupture

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LADWP begins long-term repairs after West Hollywood water main rupture

Crews worked overnight on what is expected to be a long-term effort to clean up and repair a broken water main that caused extensive damage in West Hollywood on Thursday.

Yellow tape remained in place Friday morning, blocking streets around Sunset Boulevard and Holloway Drive as crews continued pumping water out of the century-old trunk line.

Asphalt and soil were also being removed so crews could get a better look at the damaged 36-inch trunk line, a major feeder pipe serving the area.

  • Aerial view of flooded streets in West Hollywood.
  • A sinkhole opened up on a sidewalk in West Hollywood following a water main break
  • Aerial view of flooded Metro buses.
  • Aerial view of flooded streets in West Hollywood.
  • Water floods out of an apartment in West Hollywood
  • A broken water main floods a parking garage in West Hollywood
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Residents stand with luggage and a dog at the entrance to an apartment parking garage as floodwaters from a water main break rush through a West Hollywood street.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • Rushing floodwaters pushes parked cars together on a flooded West Hollywood street after a water main break.
  • A broken water main floods the streets of West Hollywood

“First and foremost is our crews’ safety,” a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power spokesperson said Thursday. “When we excavate, we are going to have to make sure the area is safe before we send crews in to proceed and start the actual repairs on the pipe.”

The water main ruptured around 3 a.m. Thursday, sending thousands of gallons of water rushing through West Hollywood streets, flooding dozens of garages and pushing parked cars into one another.

A Metro bus yard was also flooded, leaving several buses partially submerged.

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The force of the water washed away dirt and gravel supporting the roadway, creating a massive sinkhole on Sunset Boulevard and a smaller one near Palm Avenue, where two people fell in.

“I’m astounded by the massive sinkhole that has just opened up before our eyes,” KTLA’s Annie Rose Ramos reported Thursday from Palm Avenue.

The two men appeared to be uninjured.

As for the larger trunk line that burst beneath Sunset Boulevard, KTLA’s Carlos Herrera reported it was scheduled for replacement in 2031.

LADWP officials now hope to establish a repair timeline after getting a closer look at the damage Friday. For now, the intersection is expected to remain closed for anywhere from several days to several weeks.

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The cause of the rupture remains under investigation.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Arrest made in deadly shooting at 4th of July gathering in Compton; search for 2nd suspect continues

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Arrest made in deadly shooting at 4th of July gathering in Compton; search for 2nd suspect continues

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna gave an update Thursday on several shootings over the Fourth of July weekend that left three people dead and several others injured.

Police arrested Antoine Jones, a 50-year-old man from the Los Angeles area, who they believe is responsible for the murder of a 19-year-old woman and the attempted murder of two additional surviving female victims who were attending a large community block party in Compton.

On July 4 at approximately 11:40 p.m., deputies from the Compton station responded to an apartment complex on the 700 block of West Laurel Street following reports of multiple people being shot.

Meah Bordenave-Jenkins, a 19-year-old nursing student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was killed when gunfire broke out at the party.

Meah Bordenave-Jenkins and Eric Washington are pictured in a Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department bulletin. (LASD)

Deputies located Bordenave-Jenkins and the two other women suffering from gunshot wounds outside of the apartment complex.

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“While today’s announcement represents an important step towards justice for Meah and her family, our work is very far from being over,” said LASD Sheriff Robert Luna.

The LASD is also seeking the public’s help in identifying those responsible for the murder of Eric Washington, 37, a beloved community activist and former government staffer, and the attempted murder of another surviving man injured that same night at the same party.

Washington was reportedly killed while trying to deescalate a conflict at the party, his family said. Deputies found victim Washington suffering from a gunshot wound inside the complex.

Investigators later learned that another man had also been shot at some point during the incident.

Bordenave-Jenkins and Washington both died from their injuries. The remaining victims, two women and a man, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and have been released from the hospital. They have not been identified by police.

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Detectives determined the two shootings happened moments apart at the party but appear to be separate and unrelated.

  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • Compton fatal shooting
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration
  • 2 dead, 3 injured at Compton July 4 celebration

Detectives identified Jones as the suspect responsible for Bordenave-Jenkins’ death and the attempted murder of the two surviving women. Authorities located Jones on July 14 in Los Angeles and took him into custody.

The LASD is still searching for the suspect or suspects responsible for the murder of Washington and the attempted murder of the surviving male victim.

“Although today’s arrest is significant, this investigation remains extremely active,” Luna said.

“There were hundreds of people at this gathering,” Luna said. “Somebody knows, somebody saw or somebody heard what happened.”

The LASD also announced they’re searching for a suspect in a separate shooting at a different Fourth of July gathering that occurred in the early morning of July 5.

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At approximately 12:10 a.m., Compton deputies responded to the 2100 block of North Grandee Avenue, where they located a 30-year-old victim, Thaddeus Clark, and a second victim suffering from gunshot wounds at the gathering.

Clark, a father of three, did not survive his injuries, Luna said.

The LASD is urging anyone with information about Clark’s murder and the attempted murder of the surviving victim to contact the LASD Homicide Bureau.

Although these shooting incidents occurred at gatherings less than an hour apart, investigators found no evidence that the two were connected, Luna said.

Luna also announced three suspects have been arrested in connection with a shooting in East L.A. on July 5. It happened as crowds crossed the intersection near Whittier Boulevard and Leonard Avenue during a World Cup match.

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Four people were hit by gunfire, including two men, one woman and a boy. None of the injuries were life-threatening.

The sheriff said the alleged shooter, a 15-year-old known gang member, was arrested. Two female suspects, ages 21 and 38, have been arrested in the Lancaster and Palmdale areas for their alleged roles in luring the primary victim to the location and assisting the shooting suspect in evading arrest.

They’re all facing four counts of attempted murder.

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Los Angeles, Ca

Water main break floods West Hollywood streets, traps cars

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Water main break floods West Hollywood streets, traps cars

A broken water main sent water gushing from an apartment building and turned nearby streets into rivers in West Hollywood early Thursday morning. The break was reported around 3 a.m. near Holloway Drive and Sunset Boulevard. “It’s a rupture of one of the significant mains that goes through here. West Hollywood, as it turns out, […]

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