CCTV Footage / Wikimedia Commons
CV NEWS FEED // New York City police plan to question a “strong person of interest” in the Dec. 4 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, officials said in a press conference Dec. 9.
Altoona, Pennsylvania, police arrested the suspect at a local McDonald’s the morning of Dec. 9 for firearm charges.
NYC police were on their way to the city as of 2 p.m. Eastern Standard Time to question the suspect, NY Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
New York Mayor Eric Adams stated that the suspect is a 26-year-old man named Luigi Mangione. He was arrested after an employee recognized his face from images circulating of the suspect and called the local police.
Mangione had in his possession a handwritten, three-page manifesto that “speaks to both his motivation and mindset,” according to Tisch.
NY Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny stated, “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.”
Mangione also possessed the fake New Jersey ID the suspect reportedly used to check into a hostel in New York before the shooting, as well as a “ghost gun” (a homemade, unserialized firearm, possibly made from a 3D printer) that had a suppressor and was capable of shooting a 9 mm bullet.
Mangione grew up in Maryland and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. His last known address is in Honolulu, Hawaii, though he also has ties to San Francisco, according to Kenny.
Even though Mangione was carrying a U.S. passport, Kenny said, “We don’t believe he was planning on doing any traveling or fleeing the country.”
At this point in the investigation, Mangione seems to have acted alone. Police have not found any previous arrests on his record.
Adams said that the suspect was found through “good old-fashioned police work” and help from members of the public who followed the adage to “see something, say something, do something” in the case of a crime.
Tisch echoed Adams, adding, “Never underestimate the power of the public to be our eyes and our ears.”
Kenny stated throughout the press conference that the investigation is ongoing. He added, “We are not done here.”
