A 26-year-old man was identified as a “person of interest” in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
At a press conference Monday, Dec. 9, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch identified the suspect as Luigi Mangione. Tisch confirmed several reports that had emerged earlier in the day, saying Mangione was recognized by an employee of a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, who then called the police.
“Responding officers questioned the suspect, who was acting suspiciously and was carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a U.S. passport,” Tisch continued. “Upon further investigation, officers recovered a firearm on his person, as well as a suppressor, both consistent with the weapon used in the murder. They also recovered clothing, including a mask, consistent with those worn by the our wanted individual. Also recovered was a fraudulent New Jersey ID matching the ID our suspect used to check into his New York City hostel before the shooting incident.”
Tisch also said that officers recovered a “handwritten document that speaks to both his motivation and mindset.” Previously, a law enforcement source told The New York Times that the manifesto criticized health care companies and the ways they prioritize profits over patient care.
Joseph Kenny, the NYPD’s chief of detectives, said during the press conference: “It does seem he has some ill will toward corporate America.”
Kenny offered some additional biographical details about Mangione, as well. He said he was born and raised in Maryland, had ties to San Francisco, and also recently lived in Honolulu. Mangione has no known criminal record in New York.
Mangione has not been arrested or charged yet in connection to the shooting. He was, however, been arrested on a local firearms charge. If he is arrested and charged in Thompson’s death, he would first need to be extradited to New York.
Tisch said NYPD detectives are en route to Pennsylvania to further question Mangione.
The questioning is the most significant development in the manhunt for the shooter since Thompson was killed outside the New York Hilton Midtown on the morning of Dec. 4. Authorities have called the killing a “pre-planned, targeted attack,” and at the scene of the crime, they recovered multiple shell casings engraved with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” — a possible allusion to terms used by health insurance companies to avoid paying claims.
Following the attack, authorities said they believed the shooter fled the scene, first on foot, and then on a bicycle. It’s believed he quickly left New York City by bus, with surveillance cameras catching him entering the Port Authority Bus Terminal, but not leaving it. Police officers also recovered a backpack — reportedly stuffed with Monopoly money — in Central Park that they believe belonged to the shooter.
On top of tracking his movements, police also shared a handful of photos of the suspect culled from surveillance footage. These included images of the shooter in a Starbucks, as well as a taxi cab, though in both of those images, his face was covered. Images of the shooter without a face mask were captured at the hostel where he was reportedly staying.
This story was updated at 1:51 p.m. ET after Luigi Mangione was identified as a person of interest in the shooting of death of Brian Thompson.
From Rolling Stone US
