Health

The suspect who fatally shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan may have used a special weapon more common on farms ... at least according to cops.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters Friday police investigators are looking into the possibility the gunman used a veterinary gun ... a larger gun commonly used on ranches and farms.

Kenny says this specialized, larger firearm is used for animals because, "If an animal has to get put down, the animal can be shot without" the gun causing a loud noise.

Jamie Foxx is opening up about his hospitalization last year ... describing his mystery health scare as a "near-death experience."

The actor talks about his 2023 stint in an Atlanta hospital in his new Netflix comedy special, "What Had Happened Was."

Jamie recorded the special in October and two of the people in the crowd told CNN Jamie revealed his diagnosis and detailed his recovery.

"Duck Dynasty" patriarch Phil Robertson is suffering from a brain disorder.

Phil's family revealed he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in the latest episode of the "Unashamed with The Robertson Family" podcast.

Jase Robertson also said doctors told them Phil is suffering from a blood disease that's causing all kinds of problems, and it's only getting worse.

3:22 PM PT -- According to CNN ... an NYPD spokesperson says a backpack found in Central Park is being investigated as possibly belonging to the suspect wanted for the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

As TMZ reported yesterday, the backpack appears to be an Everyday Backpack from Peak Design ... a bag meant for serious photographers but designed for casual use as well.

The manhunt for the suspect who fatally shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan is expanding beyond New York City ... because cops think he fled the Big Apple.

New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tish told CNN that NYPD investigators have reason to believe the suspect is no longer in town.

As we reported ... police believe the gunman arrived in NYC last month on a bus from Atlanta and shacked up in a hostel, using a fake ID to check in, before Wednesday's shooting outside a Manhattan hotel.

Demi Moore has given a heartwarming update on ex-husband Bruce Willis' dementia battle ... announcing the actor is doing well in the year-plus since his family revealed his diagnosis.

The actress opened up about her ex's condition during a recent sit-down with CNN, where she confirmed the action star was "in a very stable place at the moment."

She added ... "And I’ve shared this before, but I really mean this so sincerely. It’s so important for anybody who’s dealing with this to really meet them where they’re at, and from that place, there is such loving and joy."

Private security firms have been inundated with calls since the cold-blooded murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson ... but the high-profile case won't necessarily change how companies protect execs long-term, TMZ is told.

In the days since Thompson was shot dead on the streets of NYC ... multiple private security firms have been flooded with service inquiries and price quotes.

Ian Dahlberg, owner of Dahlcore Security Guard Services, tells TMZ ... there has been a noticeable uptick in calls -- from executes looking for private security to film studios wanting to beef up guards on the lot.

The suspect who killed United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson may have disappeared into Central Park after the shooting Wednesday morning in a premeditated attempt to evade cameras ... TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... The suspect rode an e-bike on Center Drive into Central Park after the shooting seemingly with the knowledge the multi-block blackout area would provide cover as he disposed of evidence.

We're told there are no surveillance cameras INSIDE the park, but there are some at the entrances and exits of the famous Manhattan oasis. This may surprise many people in a city known for its multitude of cameras on streets and businesses everywhere.

Randy Moss is stepping away from his role on "Sunday NFL Countdown" ... to focus on his battle with an undisclosed health issue.

ESPN announced the move Friday morning ... explaining the Hall of Famer will be gone for "an extended time" as he continues to deal with "a personal health challenge."

Moss first made his fans aware of his medical ailment on Dec. 1 ... though he kept things vague, saying merely he's "battling something internal."

Following the execution of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson by a gunman in NYC, the insurance company and several competitors have scrubbed online bios of their execs.

UnitedHealthcare’s "About Us" page used to display the resumes of its senior leadership, including Thompson's, but now users are redirected to a generic tab solely covering background info about the corporation.

Other health insurers have followed suit ... Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield's 25 plus executive profiles have been wiped from its "About Us" page.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield is walking back a controversial policy decision regarding coverage for anesthesia in the wake of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson's murder.

In a statement released Thursday, the company defended its decision to reverse the policy as a response to "significant widespread misinformation" ... though, it was notably timed amid the hunt for Thompson's shooter.

ABCBS shared the now-controversial policy was never meant "to not pay for medically necessary anesthesia services" ... rather, the "proposed update to the policy was only designed to clarify the appropriateness of anesthesia consistent with well-established clinical guidelines."

Ariana Grande expressed strong feelings while opening up about body-shamers ... confessing it’s been overwhelming dealing with endless opinions on what people think she should look like, but making it clear she has no time for them.

The actress was continuing on with her "Wicked" promo duties alongside Cynthia Erivo on the "Oui Oui Baguette" web series when she spilled about the never-ending struggle -- you fix what people say is wrong, and just like that, they've got another problem for other reasons.

Ariana got real about how body-shaming hit her hard in the past, starting as a teenager in the biz, and how tough it’s been to shield herself from all that constant noise since.

Taylor Lorenz -- a controversial journalist formerly of the Washington Post -- is clarifying some of her comments about the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson ... and she says his brutal killing isn't the real tragedy here.

Taylor joined us on "TMZ Live" Thursday and we asked her what she meant by two social media posts that have gotten a lot of attention in the wake of Thompson's killing ... including one that lots of folks interpreted as her calling for more violence against healthcare executives.

She says she wasn't calling for murder when she shared a photo of the Blue Cross Blue Shield CEO Kim Keck above a post about BCBS announcing it wouldn't cover anesthesia for the entirety of some surgeries.

The NYPD has released 2 photos of a man they call a "person of interest" in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson ... and the man bears a striking similarity to the killer.

The photos certainly appear to be the assassin ... the nose of the killer caught on surveillance video looks identical to the man in the new photos.

The new photos reveal almost all of his face ... he is not wearing the mask the assassin wore during the shooting.

The gunman who fatally shot UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on the bustling streets of NYC carved a suspected message into the shell casings of the bullets he used to execute the executive -- and it might offer a clue into why he did it, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... three 9MM shell casings cops recovered from the scene outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan had the words “deny,” “depose” and “defend” scrawled on them.

Our sources say two of the words appear in the title of a 2010 book, "Delay, Deny, Defend," which slams the health insurance sector -- and, as we now know, Thompson was one of the industry's bigwigs.

Adrian Wojnarowski, former NBA insider extraordinaire, just revealed he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Woj -- who spent more than two decades as one of the most plugged-in people around the NBA -- shared the news during an interview with Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, saying he learned of the diagnosis in February after a blood test during a routine physical showed his PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels were elevated.

Doctors did a biopsy ... confirming the early-stage cancer.

The masked assassin who took out UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was caught on camera casually chatting on the phone just minutes before pulling the trigger, new video shows.

Surveillance footage shows a man decked out in the same dark outfit -- hat, ski mask, and gray backpack -- holding a phone to his ear as he strolled east on 54th Street toward the Hilton hotel on Sixth Avenue around 6:30 AM Wednesday -- just 15 minutes before the fatal shooting.

The NYPD said the killer showed up about 5 minutes before the attack, lying in wait for his target. When the moment came, he used a gun with a silencer to fire the shots that killed Thompson.