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Evidence at the scene of the shocking murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson seems to indicate the gunman left a message.

Live rounds and shell casings examined by police appear to include the words “deny,” “depose,” and “defend” engraved on them, police sources told the New York Post. Three live 9-millimeter rounds and three discharged casings were recovered by police at the Sixth Avenue location of the Hilton Hotel where Thompson, 50, was shot several times Wednesday morning.

“Sources said several of the pieces of evidence each contained one word, indicating the killer may have been trying to leave a message as investigators try to piece together a motive,” The Post reported.

(Video Credit: ABC7)

“I want to be clear, at this time, every indication is that this was a premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch at a news conference.

“It appears the suspect was lying in wait for several minutes and, as the victim was walking to the conference hotel, the suspect approached from behind,” Tisch said. “Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target.”

“The motive for this murder currently is unknown,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said, “but, based on the evidence we have so far, it does appear that the victim was specifically targeted. But at this point, we do not know why.”

Shocking surveillance video shows the moment Thompson was seen walking along the sidewalk when the masked man with a backpack came up behind him and raised a handgun. He took several shots before it appeared the gun jammed, as a video showed him hitting the side of the weapon before continuing his approach toward the victim.

A water bottle and candy wrapper were reportedly retrieved from the area and police are investigating that as well as a cell phone that they believe may have belonged to the suspect who was seen earlier in a Starbucks nearby.

“The working theory among detectives right now is that the shooting was carried out by someone who is not a professional killer because too many ‘mistakes’ were made, sources said,” ABC News reported. “Hitmen typically don’t carry cell phones to their hits and the shots were fired from a distance that would be considered ‘too far’ away from the victim, the sources said.”

Frieda Powers
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