Police round up UnitedHealthcare CEO in shooting at suspect’s escape route

Police searching for the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson are investigating whether the suspected shooter prepositioned an electric bike near the scene of the incident as a way to escape, police sources told ABC News.

A masked gunman carried out a “brazen and targeted attack” that was “premeditated,” New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference Wednesday. The motive remains unknown, police said.

Detectives believe the shooter is not a professional killer, sources said. Bullet casings found at the scene bore the words “deny,” “defend” and “drop,” police sources said.

Thompson, 50, was in New York for UnitedHealthcare’s investor conference, which was scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. His schedule was widely known, police sources said.

He was shot multiple times at point-blank range in front of the Hilton Hotel – where the conference was being held – around 6:40 a.m., at the intersection of West 54th Street and 6th Avenue.

The suspect, who was captured on surveillance cameras before, during and immediately after the shooting, was waiting near the hotel.

After the shooting, he fled on foot into an alley, where a phone believed to be linked to the suspect was later recovered, police sources said.

The suspect then fled on a bicycle and was last seen entering Central Park at 6:48 a.m., police said.

The shooter was caught on surveillance video at 5 a.m. the morning of the shooting outside Frederick Douglass Houses, a public housing project on the Upper West Side, sources told ABC News.

These images showed the suspect carrying what appeared to be an electric bike battery.

Investigators are gathering evidence as the search for the suspect continues. The FBI, which has the most sophisticated technology for recovering usable data from cell phones, is participating in the investigation, police sources said.

Police also recovered a water bottle and candy wrapper from the shooting scene that they believe are linked to the shooter. Fingerprint and DNA testing of the items is underway, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, said in a statement that she was “broken” by the “senseless murder.”

“Brian was an incredibly loving, generous and talented man who lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives,” she said. “Most importantly, Brian was an incredibly loving father to our two sons and he will be greatly missed.”

Police are urging the public to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS with any information.

ABC News’ Mark Crudele and Josh Margolin contributed to this report.