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How a Midtown shooter got away — and how the NYPD could use technology to find him
By
Charles Lane
Published Dec 5, 2024
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Spencer Platt/Getty Images
By
Charles Lane
Published Dec 5, 2024
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The spot where UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed on Wednesday morning is one of the busiest blocks in the country, and the shooting happened during one of the area’s busiest times of the year.
That the alleged gunman could shoot someone and get away despite all the technology that should have been available to track him down suggests a professional level of training and planning, according to one policing expert.
NYPD officials said at a press briefing that the prominent CEO was killed by a light-skinned male who waited for Thompson to appear on his way to an investor conference. The suspect ignored other people walking nearby and shot Thompson several times in the back and leg before fleeing through the alley west of the Ziegfeld Ballroom, also known as 6½ Avenue. The shooter was still at large as of Thursday morning, according to police officials.
While the surveillance and tracking technology in Midtown didn’t stop the alleged killer, it may help police find him, the policing expert said. Here are a few of the technologies police might be able to use in their pursuit of the suspect.
Video surveillance
In the hours after the killing, police said they were able to trace the shooter’s escape path by stitching together video surveillance footage.
“We're pulling video from numerous locations, numerous sources,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said at a press conference. Kenny said a “distinctive gray backpack” the suspect was wearing will help police identify him on video.
According to policing expert Jill Snider, a former NYPD officer who now serves as an adjunct lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, that gray backpack could be critical in presenting a potential case to jurors.
“To make a legal and legitimate arrest that's going to stand in court, you don't want any surveillance gaps,” she said, referring to missing time periods when the alleged killer wasn’t on any cameras.
Central Park drones
Police said the suspect fled north into Central Park, and at some point got on a bike. There are fewer cameras in the park, but another new technology may help police fill in the gaps, Snider said: drones.
While all Central Park entrances have surveillance cameras, the park has many blind spots, she said. She added that those blind spots may be one reason the alleged killer chose that route — and an indication that he spent significant time planning.
“He definitely had that escape route mapped out,” said Snider. “There's caves in that park. There's plenty of places to hide down by the boathouse. I'm sure that the park is being swept by hundreds of officers right now.”
The NYPD recently launched a drone patrol program in Central Park where drones conduct regular patrol. Police officials didn’t respond to questions about whether the drones were patrolling at the time of the suspect‘s getaway.
“The drones NYPD are using are highly sophisticated,” Snider said.
The department has more than 100 drones operated from police headquarters by a team of some 60 officers. They have high-resolution cameras and a 40-minute battery life.
Cell phone
Police said they recovered a cell phone from the crime scene, but they haven’t confirmed whether it belonged to the suspect. If it did, it might contain a wealth of clues, including whom it’s registered to, previous location data, possible browsing history and communications.
Snider said the phone could have the owner’s call history, email account or messaging apps.
“At least it will give them a sense of where this phone has been, if they [the owner] kept their location on,” she said.
Snider said that if the alleged killer had put in as much planning as he appears to have done, he might have thought to turn off his phone’s location history.
GPS
Police said the suspect was last seen on video riding away on a bike, which they initially described as a Citi Bike. All Citi Bikes require a credit card to register. They are also tracked by GPS.
“GPS is on those bikes and we’ll be working with the company,” the NYPD’s Kenny said.
Snider said it took a high level of sophistication and planning for the alleged killer to evade capture so far.
“I think they'll find him for sure, but I'm just very surprised [it‘s been] within eight hours, nine hours already and they haven’t,” she said on Wednesday.
Tagged
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public safety
midtown
Charles Lane
Charles is a Day-of reporter focused on breaking news and enterprise. He’s very friendly and can be reached at [email protected], or more securely on whatsapp/signal 631-295-6715
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