A person of interest in last week’s shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was arrested Monday morning on gun charges in Altoona, Pennsylvania, by local police, who found a ghost gun and suppressor that resembled the one used in the murder in his possession.
Luigi Mangione, 26, was named a person of interest in the murder of Thompson, 50, who was shot and killed Wednesday before UnitedHealth Group’s annual conference in New York City. Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s by the Altoona Police Department. Altoona is about 275 miles from New York City.
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He also was in possession of a mask similar to the one worn by the suspect. The gun could have been made using a 3D printer, law enforcement officials said during a news conference. Officials said Mangione also carried multiple fraudulent identification cards and a U.S. passport.
Police obtained a three-page handwritten manifesto indicating his motivation for the murder and his mindset, officials said. “We don’t think that there’s any specific threats to other people mentioned in that document, but it does seem that he has some ill will toward corporate America,” said Joe Kenny, chief of detectives.
"We believe at this point our investigation is leaning toward he was acting alone," he said.
The New York Police Department plans to review his social media posts, Kenny said.
The shooting and the social media posts that followed have rattled the healthcare industry. The incident has incited a wave of criticism and outrage from people on social media regarding their personal experiences with healthcare. It has invoked fear among healthcare organizations, with some removing images of leadership and moving in-person events to a virtual format.
The investigation remains active and the NYPD is headed to Pennsylvania to interview Mangione, Kenny said.
The investigation, which has stretched to its fifth day, has involved thousands of hours of video footage, hundreds of tips, DNA evidence, K-9 units, drones, scuba divers and interviews with potential witnesses, said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
A McDonald’s employee recognized the suspect and notified local police in Pennsylvania. Mangione has ties to Maryland, California and Hawaii and no prior arrest history in New York, Kenny said.
“We’re not done here,” Kenny said. “We’re still going to be putting this together. We’re still going to be working very hard to bring this to a successful conclusion.”
