Aerial view of the New York Hilton Midtown in Manhattan. (Photo: GoogleEarth)

Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot to death on Dec. 4 outside the New York Hilton Midtown in Manhattan, where the company was hosting an investor day. The suspect fled northward on 6th Avenue on a bike toward Central Park and is still unidentified.

Police initially believed the suspect fled on a Citi Bike, which is equipped with GPS tracking devices. However, it was later clarified that the suspect used a regular electric bike, not a Citi Bike, eliminating the possibility of GPS tracking through the bike-sharing system.

Many e-bikes do not come with built-in GPS trackers. While some newer models have integrated GPS units, aftermarket trackers must be installed separately on most e-bikes.

Even if the e-bike had a GPS tracker, its effectiveness would depend on whether it was active and connected to a cellular network to transmit location data.

Despite this setback, investigators are still utilizing various technological methods to track the suspect. Police are analyzing video from street cameras and other sources to trace the suspect’s escape route. Additionally, a cell phone was recovered from the alley where the suspect fled, which could potentially provide valuable information. The suspect was spotted on surveillance video carrying an e-bike battery less than two hours before the shooting, which might offer additional leads.

While GPS tracking through the bike is no longer an option, law enforcement is leveraging other technological resources and traditional investigative methods to locate the suspect.