A picture of a New York Starbucks may hold the key to finding Brian Thompson’s killer

New York police use facial recognition technology and a discarded cell phone to identify and track down the killer of a healthcare executive.

UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson, 50, was fatally shot in the back outside the Hilton Hotel in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday morning.

The attacker fled the scene without taking Thompson’s belongings. Police believe Thompson’s target was a premeditated murder.

They are focusing on a surveillance image taken at a Starbucks branch just before the shooting.

Here’s what we know about the suspect and the investigation.

The shooting happened around 06:45 EST (11:45 GMT) in a busy part of Manhattan near Times Square and Central Park. Thompson was scheduled to speak at an investor conference later in the day.

According to police, the suspect, who was wearing a black face mask and a light brown or cream jacket, waited five minutes for Thompson outside the Hilton Hotel where he was to speak.

Thompson, who arrived on foot, was shot in the back and leg and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

New York Police Department (NYPD) Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenney revealed that the suspect’s gun appeared to have malfunctioned, but he was able to quickly fix it and continue firing.

The video shows him fleeing the scene on foot. Officials initially said the suspect was riding an electric Citi Bike owned by Lyft. But Lyft, which owns and operates Citi Bike, later said the NYPD had said one of its vehicles had not been used, according to BBC US partner CBS News.

So far, the investigation into Thompson’s killing has focused on a handful of clues police are using to identify a suspect.

Police revealed the suspect was photographed at a nearby Starbucks just minutes before the shooting.

While he is masked in the picture, police sources told CBS, the BBC’s US partner, that the mask was pulled far enough to show his eyes and part of his nose.

So investigators use facial recognition software to try to find a match.

In addition, police are testing three bullet casings and three projectiles found at the scene for DNA.

The words “deny,” “defend” and “cancel” were found on the casings, police sources told ABC News.

The cell phone was found in an alley along the suspect’s escape route. Police say they are “recycling” the phone.

Investigators also said they would search Thompson’s room at a nearby Marriott hotel down the street from where the incident took place.

Investigators have not yet determined a motive for the murder, although police noted that the gunman fled without taking Thompson’s belongings.

In an interview with MSNBC, Thompson’s wife said he had received “some threats” in the past, though she could not elaborate.

“All I know is that he said some people threatened him,” she said.

Thompson’s hometown of Maple Grove, Minnesota, had one previous suspicious incident at his home in 2018, according to police.

The incident was eliminated, no criminal activity was detected. No further information was provided.