Police have arrested a man believed to be connected with the Dec. 4 killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, having acted on a tip about a person in Altoona, Pennsylvania, roughly 230 miles west of New York City.
Law enforcement officials told CNN local police apprehended the 26-year-old at a McDonald’s in the city, later identifying him as Luigi Mangione.
Mangione was found with a homemade, untraceable gun and a suppressor that resemble the one used in last week’s shooting, as well as several fake IDs and documents that could hint at a motive.
“At this time, he is believed to be our person of interest in the brazen, targeted murder of Brian Thompson,” New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
Thompson, 50, was fatally shot outside of the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan in what police believe was a “premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack.” Police released photos showing the suspect’s face on Thursday prior to his arrest.
The authorities also reportedly found shell casings from the bullets used to kill Thompson that were inscribed with the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose.”
The words on the shell casings resemble a similar phrase: “Delay, Deny, Defend.” The three words, also the title of a 2010 book about insurance companies, indicate a tactic that insurers have been accused of using to disadvantage patients with insurance.
Video footage of Thompson’s killing shows a person shooting Thompson in the back, unjamming his weapon and shooting again before fleeing by foot, JS previously reported. Thompson, who did not appear to have security with him, was reportedly heading to the company’s annual investor conference.
Thompson’s wife, Paulette, told NBC News Thompson had been receiving threats prior to his death.
“There had been some threats,” she said, adding that he didn’t change his travel habits. “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”
We Need Your Support
Support JS
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
Thompson became the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, one of the biggest insurance companies in the U.S., in April 2021. He was named in a lawsuit accusing him and other executives of insider trading earlier this year.
