BURSTA man with a gun thought to be similar to the one used in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has been taken into custody in Pennsylvania, according to multiple reports.
A law enforcement official told The Associated Press the man was taken into custody on Monday and is being held in the Altoona, Pa., area for questioning.
Thompson was killed early in the morning Dec. 4 outside a hotel in Midtown Manhattan after being shot in the back and right calf on the way to address a meeting of investors. He was declared dead at a hospital.
The NYPD found a backpack on Friday in New York’s Central Park that they say the killer discarded as he fled the area. Officials have said they believe he left the city on a bus on the day of the shooting.
The shooter is known to have used a 9 mm pistol that police said resembled the guns farmers use to put down animals without causing a loud noise. The bullet shells reportedly had the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” written on them.
Authorities have collected and tested DNA evidence, including a discarded water bottle and protein bar wrapper, discovered near the scene. The police say they believe the suspect used a fake ID when staying in the city overnight.
The FBI has also joined the investigation, offering up to $50,000 for information leading to the gunman’s arrest and conviction, according to the FBI’s field office in New York City.
The Hill has reached out to NYPD for comment and confirmation.