A former high-ranking police chief has expressed confidence in the ability of law enforcement agencies to find the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. John Ryan, a 45-year veteran, served as chief of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department and currently serves as an analyst for Fox News Digital.
Ryan stated that the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in New York is heading the investigation, along with the NYPD, and they are coordinating with police in Georgia, where the killer may be now, as well as the Atlanta FBI field office. He credited the JTTF with bringing together 52 agencies to work on the case and praised the U.S. Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force for their expertise in tracking fugitives.
According to Ryan, investigators have already made significant progress in gathering evidence, including a backpack found in Central Park that is believed to belong to the suspect. Ryan also mentioned that investigators have found a water bottle dropped by the assassin and a cellphone left behind in the alleyway he used to escape.
The former chief also pointed out that the writings left on the shell casings, which match a popular phrase in the healthcare industry, suggest that the killer was motivated by personal reasons rather than as a third-party hit man. Ryan believes that this indicates that the killer may have had a grievance against Thompson and was “basically highlighting why he did what he did”.
Ryan’s comments come as the investigation continues, and police are working to find the suspect and determine his motive for the killing.