NYC Mayor Eric Adams says the ‘net is tightening’ on UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter, manhunt spreads to Central Park Lake

The water search follows the discovery of the suspect’s backpack hidden in Central Park, less than half a mile from the lake. Investigators confirmed that the search is connected to Wednesday’s shooting, according to a report by the Daily Mail.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams expressed confidence in the ongoing manhunt, stating that the "net is tightening" around the suspect.

"We don't want to release that now,” Adams said when the press asked for identifying information about the suspect. “If you do, you are basically giving a tip to the person we are seeking and we do not want to give him an upper hand at all.”

“Let him continue to believe he can hide behind the mask. We revealed his face. We're going to reveal who he is and we're going to bring him to justice,” added Mayor Adams, a retired NYPD captain.

Thompson was fatally shot Wednesday morning outside the New York Hilton Midtown as he was en route to an investor conference. Surveillance footage captured the gunman, who appeared to use a handgun with a suppressor, firing multiple rounds before fleeing the scene. The suspect reportedly fled on an e-bike before entering Central Park and has since evaded capture for four days.

Authorities believe the shooter arrived in New York last month on a Greyhound bus from Atlanta. He reportedly stayed at a hostel on the Upper West Side and was seen at a nearby Starbucks shortly before the murder. Surveillance footage from the hostel provided an image of the suspect's face without his mask, which has been widely circulated as part of the investigation.

While officials have not disclosed an official motive, bullet casings recovered from the crime scene were engraved with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose,” referencing tactics commonly attributed to insurance companies to avoid paying claims.