Killer ‘left chilling message inscribed on bullets’ after major health insurance CEO assassinated in New York

CCTV footage of the shooting shows the moment the shots were fired on a midtown Manhattan street.

50-year-old Brian Thompson was shot in the back and calf outside the Hilton hotel, located on Avenue of the Americas, just after 6.45am on Wednesday morning after arriving early for the company’s annual investor conference.

The CEO of UnitedHealthcare, one of the US’s largest health insurers, appeared to be the victim of a "brazen, targeted attack" - according to New York’s police commissioner, Jessica Tisch.

"Every indication is that this was a premeditated, pre-planned targeted attack," she added.

CCTV footage shows a man wearing a mask approaching him from behind and firing at him repeatedly.

Authorities said the gun appeared to malfunction, and the gunman quickly cleared the jam before firing again and fleeing northbound into an alleyway between 54th Street and 55th Street.

The shooter then continued to walk westbound on the Avenue of the Americas, where he got on to an electric Citi Bike and rode northbound towards Central Park.

Investigators lost track of the gunman after they entered Central Park and are appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Police say they recovered three live 9mm rounds and three discharged 9mm shell casings. Authorities also recovered a cellphone.

Today, ABC News reports that messages had been written on the casings of the bullets fired by the gunman.

Police sources told the publication that the words "deny," "defend" and "depose" were discovered by detectives on the shell casings found at the scene.

NYPD detectives said they were working to determine whether the words were meant as a message from the shooter and a hint at his motive.

The victim's wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News her husband had received threats in recent months.

“There had been some threats,” she said. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”

She also told the outlet that the police had told her it appeared the shooting was “a planned attack”.

“I can’t really give a thoughtful response right now. I just found this out and I’m trying to console my children,” she added.