Authorities on Monday arrested a man in Pennsylvania who police say is connected to the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City last week.
Police arrested Luigi Mangione, 26, in Altoona five days after Thompson was shot in Midtown Manhattan in the early hours of Wednesday, Dec. 4, sparking a search for the shooter, whose identity remained unknown. Mangione was arrested after visiting a McDonald’s in Altoona, where other guests noticed his resemblance to images of the alleged shooter released by the New York Police Department and contacted authorities, according to The New York Times.
The NYPD did not immediately respond to WIRED’s request for comment.
Prior to Mangione’s arrest, NYPD investigators mapped the alleged shooter’s movements in New York City since late November, including his stay at a Manhattan shelter, where an image of the suspect without a face mask was captured. . Police later found the suspect’s backpack in Central Park, where he fled after the shooting, according to the NYPD. Authorities reportedly believe he left New York City on a bus.
Online records show that Luigi Mangione is an application developer who graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in engineering from the University of Pennsylvania in May 2020. GitHub account that appears to be Mangione’s, and an Instagram account for game development company AppRoarr Studios indicates he is a co-founder there. AppRoarr did not immediately respond to WIRED’s request for comment.
At the scene of Thompson’s shooting outside New York’s Hilton Midtown, NYPD investigators discovered bullet casings bearing the words “delay,” “depose” and “deny,” likely references to the forms in which health insurance companies refuse to cover clients’ medical expenses. claims. According to the TimesAuthorities say Mangione carried a “manifesto” that included passages “criticizing health care companies for putting profits before health care.”
UnitedHealthcare did not immediately respond to a request for comment from WIRED. In a statement provided to other media outlets, a company spokesperson said: “Our hope is that today’s apprehension brings some relief to Brian’s family, friends, colleagues and many others affected by this unspeakable tragedy. We thank the authorities and will continue to work with them on this investigation. We ask that everyone respect the family’s privacy as they grieve.”