Suspected Killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Was Caught Smiling Because He Was Flirting with Female Hostel Staffer: Report

The suspected killer of the UnitedHealthcare CEO who was seen smiling in a recently released surveillance photo was reportedly grinning because he was flirting with a female hostel worker, according to a report.

The suspect had apparently pulled down his mask long enough for the still to be taken because the front desk worker had asked to see his smile, police sources told ABC News.

Images of the suspect were released by the New York Police Department on Thursday, showing the alleged suspect in a gray hooded jacket and a black mask pulled down around his neck. In one of the photos, the man smiles as he leans against a counter.

The man reportedly checked in to the Upper West Side hostel using a fake ID, as reported by CNN.

While police have reiterated that the man is wanted for questioning, that did not stop social media users from swooning over the smiling photo that NYPD shared.

"Beautiful smile," one user wrote. "The shooter is very handsome," another tweeted

The responses led others to laugh. "nypd's gonna open twitter hoping someone's dropped information and just seeing everyone thirsting i'm cryinggg," one user tweeted.

Police claim that the suspect was the person who shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson Wednesday in New York City. Video footage circulating around social media showed the shooter firing twice at the CEO before appearing to escape on an e-bike.

No arrests have yet to be made in the case. The investigation is ongoing.