The smiling assassin who gunned down millionaire health boss

Killer left cryptic word clues on bullet casings

- Christopher Bucktin

POLICE released chilling footage of a grinning suspect yesterday as the net closed in on a gunman who fled after killing a multi-millionaire health insurance boss.

Murder squad detectives in New York said they had been given several names and were using facial recognition software to identify him.

A police source said last night: "It's no longer a matter of if but when police have his ID.

"The case is moving quickly and officers are confident of an arrest soon." It emerged that the killer of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson is believed to have left messages on the bullets used to gun down the father of two on Wednesday morning.

Mr CCTV cameras showed Thompson, 50, being approached from behind by the brazen gunman at 6.45am and shot in the back and right calf at close range.

Several shots were fired and the gun briefly jammed but cleared and discharged again before the masked killer fled first on foot, and then on a city e-bike.