New York City police are using the most sophisticated surveillance camera and facial recognition systems there are and were quickly able to hone in on a possible suspect — releasing pictures of him Thursday — one day after the midtown shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Retired FBI Special Agent John MacVeigh says police are using those tools but also old-fashioned methods, such as combing through records, videotapes, phone tips and more.
MacVeigh says facial recognition is a tool used by all law enforcement, but it has its limits.
"If you get video from a store, they put it into that facial recognition program. And it pops out potential suspects, but you still have to narrow it down. It may look like six people or something, and they're going to have to go knock on six doors and see," said MacVeigh.
Police first used surveillance cameras to see the actual shooting of Thompson. Then, they turned to the hundreds of other cameras along the street to see the suspect running from the crime scene, getting on an e-bike and pedaling into Central Park, where he disappeared.
Police then quickly found images from a nearby Starbucks that showed the suspect more closely, although they were still wearing a mask.
MacVeigh said that's when facial recognition software can help, as police feed the picture into a database that uses computers to compare hundreds of markers on the picture or video to mug shots and driver's license photos.
"The computer program may be able to limit it down because, you know, this person's got a mark here or their eyes a little different," said MacVeigh.
In this case, the police got a hit another way. While canvassing area stores, they found surveillance of what seemed to be the suspect earlier that morning, still wearing a mask over his face.
However, someone reportedly recognized the man and called the police with a tip that the same person had been staying at a nearby hostel.
At that hostel, police discovered new pictures of what seemed to be the same man with no mask, making it easier to identify him through tips or facial recognition.
MacVeigh said police are going through hundreds of surveillance camera clips, trying to find out more about where the suspect came from and where he went.
They are also likely combing through records of people who made complaints against United Healthcare, as police suspect the killer might have had a grudge based on a denial of coverage by the insurance company.