He was quizzed by police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after being found with a distinctive weapon like that used in the brazen shooting of Brian Thompson, NBC News and others reported. The man was spotted in a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona, a town 300 miles (500 kilometers) west of New York, by someone who tipped off the authorities, The New York Times reported. He also had fake IDs similar to those used by the killer ahead of the slaying, the outlet added, reporting that New York detectives were headed to Altoona.

Police have been looking into the possibility that the shooter used a long-barrel veterinary gun – normally used to euthanize animals – to commit the murder. The gunman walked up behind Thompson, a senior figure at UnitedHealthcare – one of the country’s largest medical insurers – and shot him dead last Wednesday in front of bystanders, in an attack captured by a surveillance camera and since seen by millions. Thompson was attending an investor conference in the Midtown business district.

Police have yet to suggest a motive and would not confirm media reports that the words “delay” and “deny” – language often used by insurance companies to reject claims – were written on shell casings found at the scene.

The New York Police Department told AFP that detectives had no update for the media, while the Altoona Police Department did not respond to requests for comment. An image released of the smiling suspect was obtained from a youth hostel where the gunman apparently stayed before the hit, with media reporting he had lowered his mask to flirt with a receptionist.