What the Feds didn't mention
There's a lot missing from the Federal Complaint so I thought I'd do some digging to fill in some gaps following the Central Park exit.
Events prior are discussed here, here and here (descriptions of each are listed at the bottom). There's a post about the taxi ride here. The Federal Complaint is here and Manhattan DA remarks are here.
Bike Ride from Central Park Exit to Columbus Avenue
"After disappearing inside the park for a period of time, the Sh--ter was captured on video again exiting the park near West 77th Street and Central Park West riding north on Central Park West. When he emerged from the park, the Sh--ter was no longer carrying the Gray Backpack, as shown below:"
According to news reports, the suspect exited Central Park at 6:56 a.m. This time was not mentioned in the Federal Complaint.
W 77th and Central Park West Image from the Federal Complaint
Google Maps view of West 77th and Central Park West
Question: Why exit Central Park near the NYPD cameras? If the suspect allegedly engaged in counter-surveillance techniques, why wouldn't this form into their Central Park exit strategy?
Google Maps view of NYPD cameras at West 77th and Central Park West
The Federal Complaint mentioned that the suspect was "riding north on Central Park West". Hence, why I have assumed the following route via Google Maps. This also fits the timeline proposed where the suspect is captured on security footage near the entrance of West 85th Street two minutes later at 6:58am.
Google Maps Route from W 77th and Central Park West to W 85th
"At approximately 6:58 a.m., security camera footage captured the Sh--ter riding the electric bicycle near West 85th Street and Columbus Avenue."
EDIT: Additional surveillance of the cyclist with the timestamp of 6:59am was obtained by News Nation here.
W 85th Street surveillance. Credit: News Nation
Question: If the security footage shown below is the security footage the Federal complaint references in this sentence, wouldn't it be more accurate to say "West 85th Street and Central Park West" instead of "West 85th Street and Columbus Avenue"? Was there other security camera footage captured?
W 85th Street Surveillance. Credit: Orwell Management via CNN
Google Maps view of camera on W 85th Street
Google Maps view of West 85th Street facing Central Park
"Two minutes later, at approximately 7:00 a.m., the Sh--ter was captured on video walking near West 86th Street and Columbus Avenue, without the electric bicycle."
Question: Where is the video footage from Columbus Avenue? What's the say this person and the cyclist above are the same? Is this person wearing the same clothes and same shoes as seen in other images and video footage?
Note: I am yet to identify the camera supposedly used to capture this video. It may have been captured from either or both of the two cameras identified below.
Question: Assuming these are the cameras that captured the suspect, why would the suspect plan an escape route past a bank? Banks are known to have high security. If the crime was meticulously planned in advance, wouldn't the shooter pay careful attention to surveillance?
Potential location of camera on Columbus Avenue (highlighted by gray box above the pedestrian)
Entering the Taxi
Google Maps estimate of walk from 85th Street to 86th Street along Columbus Avenue
Entering the Taxi
Taxi Interior Image from Federal Complaint. Also provided by NYPD via X.
View from West 86th Street facing Central Park
The Taxi Ride
Assuming the taxi left from the corner of W 86th Street and Columbus Avenue and departed in the direction of Central Park (given the reflection of the sunrise), the trip would have taken an estimated 16 minutes to 26 minutes to arrive at 2372 Amsterdam Avenue, New York.
Exiting the Taxi
"The defendant then fled northeast on 54th Street and took an e-bike uptown, before getting into a Taxi that took him to West 178th Street and Amsterdam Avenue." - Manhattan DA remarks
Interestingly this drop-off location is not mentioned in the Federal Complaint. Instead, they noted the following:
"At approximately 7:04 a.m., the Sh--ter entered a taxi that drove him to the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal in the vicinity of West 179th Street and Fort Washington Avenue in Upper Manhattan."
The background of the below image from NYPD indicates 2372 Amsterdam Avenue was the drop-off point for this taxi ride. I adjusted the initial Google Maps route suggested to account for the orientation of the taxi at this drop-off location. The taxi was facing South along Amsterdam Avenue.
Question: Why would the suspect catch a taxi when most taxis in New York have in-vehicle camera systems? If the crime was so meticulously planned, you would expect the suspect to have avoided this method of transport given the high likelihood of surveillance?
Google Maps adjusted route to 2372 Amsterdam Avenue
Taxi passenger side door image of suspect. Source: NYPD via X
Google Maps Street View of 2372 Amsterdam Avenue, New York
Commute to the Bus Terminal
"At approximately 7:30 a.m., video footage from the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal captured the Sh--ter entering the facility. No video footage showed the Sh--ter leaving the bus terminal, suggesting that the Sh--ter left New York City"
Google Maps directions to George Washington Bridge Bus Station
The commute is possible in the provided timeframe if the taxi encountered no traffic and the passenger walked to the Bus Terminal in any one of the routes provided by Google Maps.
Question: Why did the taxi passenger walk South when the fastest path to the Bus Terminal is in the other direction?
Question: Where is the video footage from the George Washington Bridge Bus Terminal? Is this person wearing the same clothes and same shoes as seen in previous images and video footage?
Question: Bus terminals are known to be places of high surveillance. Why would the suspect choose this as part of an escape route if the crime was so meticulously planned?
What happened prior to this?
Brian O'Shea has done a fairly comprehensive job with the steps prior to the Central Park exit here.
I created another thread, "What Happened in Central Park?" here.
Another Central Park route thread can be found here.
UPDATE:
Sunrise was recorded at 7:04am (not 7:03am) on The Upper West Side on the 4th of December.
UPDATE 2:
Added the links to the Federal Complaint and Manhattan DA remarks in the introduction above.
Added several questions.
Added several images.
Updated the Google Maps route for supposed West 75th Street and West 76th Street commute and identified potential surveillance cameras for the location of the footage referenced in the Federal complaint.
Removed question regarding the sunrise timing given the Upper West Side would likely have been light before the recorded sunrise time. Added as a note instead.
UPDATE 3:
Added additional surveillance from W 85th street.