NYPD footage reveals flirty exchange between UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter and hostel clerk

In a chilling turn of events, authorities have uncovered new information about the tragic shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. 

Surveillance footage from a New York City hostel has revealed a previously unknown moment between the suspected shooter and a hostel clerk, providing key evidence to investigators.

The clerk at the HI New York City Hostel, located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, described a brief and flirty exchange with the assailant as he checked into the hostel. 

The clerk, who spoke to CNN, recounted how she asked the man to lower his mask as part of the interaction. He complied, allowing the hostel’s surveillance cameras to capture a clearer image of the suspect.

This image was later circulated by the NYPD as part of their manhunt."The suspect was quite cooperative, even smiling during our exchange," said the hostel clerk. 

"I didn't think much of it at the time, but now it's all so surreal. I never imagined I'd be part of such a significant moment."

Authorities have traced the suspect's movements back to November 24, when he arrived in New York from Atlanta aboard a Greyhound bus. 

After checking into the hostel, he moved around the city, even returning to the same hostel several days later, where he used a fake New Jersey driver's license and paid in cash.

On the morning of the shooting, which occurred outside the Hilton Hotel on Manhattan's West 55th Street, the killer was captured on new footage walking towards the hotel, appearing to prepare for the attack. 

Surveillance also showed the suspect earlier inside a nearby Starbucks, purchasing a water bottle and protein bar shortly before he gunned down Thompson.

Thompson, 59, was shot in broad daylight outside the hotel by a masked gunman, who appeared to be waiting for him to emerge. 

According to newly appointed police commissioner Jessica Tisch, the shooter “appeared to be lying in wait for several minutes,” and witnesses noted that he didn’t act like a random assailant. “Many people passed the suspect, but he seemed focused on his intended target,” Tisch said.

Sources close to the investigation have hinted that the suspect might be an experienced marksman, with law enforcement officials suggesting that his precise actions indicated military or law enforcement training. 

"The way he reacted to the situation was as if he had been trained for something like this," said one firearms expert.

Investigators are focusing on a Connecticut gun store believed to have sold the weapon used in the killing—a modern version of a rare World War II-era gun. 

In addition to this, officers recovered shell casings with the words "deny," "defend," and "depose" inscribed on them.

Thompson, who was about to reveal UnitedHealthcare’s highly anticipated 2025 financial outlook, had reportedly received threats leading up to the shooting. 

His widow, Paulette, confirmed that her estranged husband had been under considerable pressure, but his tragic end took many by surprise. 

“He was an incredibly loving, generous, and talented man,” said Thompson’s family in a heartfelt note left at their Minnesota home.

The investigation is ongoing, with officers raiding various locations, including a Long Island Rail Road train, as they work to uncover the identity and motives of the shooter. 

While no arrests have been made, the NYPD has vowed to continue its efforts until justice is served.