New York — In a significant development, a 26-year-old man was arrested in connection with the murder of Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealth, the largest healthcare insurer in the U.S. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced on Monday that the suspect was apprehended following a tip-off at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania. He was found in possession of a weapon and items including a mask and fraudulent identification that linked him directly to the crime scene.
During a press gathering, Tisch detailed the recovery of a mask matching the description of the one worn by the suspect, as well as a fraudulent New Jersey ID used by the suspect to check into a New York City hostel prior to the murder. Joseph Kenny, NYPD Chief of Detectives, identified the suspect as Luigi Nicholas Mangione, who has lived in multiple states across the U.S. and was last known to reside in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Mangione was found carrying a “ghost gun” — a firearm assembled from parts that often lack serial numbers, complicating trace efforts. According to Kenny, the gun, allegedly produced on a 3D printer, was capable of firing 9 mm rounds.
Further complicating the investigation, Mangione had several fraudulent IDs and a U.S. passport on his person when arrested. Police also discovered writings that suggested Mangione harbored animosity toward corporate America, which may provide insight into his motive for targeting Thompson.
The CEO was shot last Wednesday in what was described as a calculated attack while en route to an annual investor conference hosted by UnitedHealth Group. Surveillance operations following the incident captured the suspect in multiple locations, including a Starbucks and wearing a mask while removing it in a hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.
A subsequent examination of evidence including a backpack discarded in Central Park near the crime scene, a cellphone, and a water bottle from Starbucks, contributed to narrowing down the suspect. Forensic analysis of ammunition found near Thompson’s body displayed inscriptions that read “delay,” “deny,” “depose,” phrases often associated with disgruntlement in the insurance industry.
In the wake of the shooting, the NYPD leveraged public assistance by disseminating a mix of photos and videos of the suspect, intensifying their search efforts across the city and even deploying dogs and divers in Central Park. A key clue came when the discarded backpack led police to believe the suspect had fled the city via an uptown bus station, taking a route through upper Manhattan and potentially leaving the state.
Amidst an expanding manhunt, rewards totaling $60,000 were offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect, combining contributions from the FBI and NYPD.
Late on Saturday, two additional photos of the suspect were circulated, believed to be captured inside a taxi, showing him partially masked and potentially adding critical data to the timeline of his escape.
This arrest marks a pivotal turn in the investigation into a murder that shocked the city and drew national attention to the vulnerability of corporate leaders. The investigation continues as authorities piece together the full narrative and potential motivations behind this brazen act of violence.