A retired New York City Police Department (NYPD) Lieutenant and former NYPD commander is sharing insight into the ongoing manhunt for the suspect who fatally shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Joe Cardinale, an expert on criminal behavior, discussed the case with Fox News Digital, offering key observations about the calculated nature of the crime.
“He’s not a professional, but he is calculated,” Cardinale said. “He obviously planned this out to a very good degree as well. He planned his escape route, he planned everything prior to it.”
One disturbing aspect of the case, Cardinale pointed out, is the peculiar messages left by the shooter on the bullets and casings. Words such as “depose,” “deny,” and “defend” were written on the live rounds found at the scene. Cardinale speculated that these phrases might have a connection to someone involved in a civil suit with UnitedHealthcare, suggesting that the crime may not have been a random act but rather a targeted one.
“I’m still not convinced that this is somebody who just happened to be, you know, upon him on that morning. I think he had intimate knowledge of where Mr. Thompson would be at that hour,” Cardinale added. “Now, how did he get that knowledge? That is the big million-dollar question right now.”
Cardinale went on to discuss the actions of past criminals who, in his experience, often exhibit arrogance after committing such crimes. He pointed out the shooter’s decision to show his face, which may have been a deliberate move. “He had to know that there was a camera there and he showed his face,” he said. Cardinale also mentioned a possible lead involving a conversation the person of interest had with a clerk at a Manhattan hostel.
Thompson’s wife, Paulette, revealed in an interview that her husband had been receiving death threats before the tragic shooting. “There had been some threats,” she said, reported by NBC News. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of [health care] coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”
Cardinale praised the ongoing efforts by the NYPD and FBI, emphasizing that while authorities are providing updates, there are still key details that remain undisclosed to avoid compromising the investigation. He expressed confidence that the public’s help, along with the widespread media attention, would lead to the capture of the suspect.
“I’m sure there are tips coming in because somebody, this man’s face, is on a nationwide platform right now,” he said. The FBI is now offering up to a $50,000 reward for any information leading to the suspect’s arrest as the search continues across multiple states.