New York prosecutors have charged a suspect with murder following the killing of a UnitedHealth executive, a bold shooting that sparked an extensive manhunt, culminating in his arrest in Pennsylvania on Monday.
This move concluded the intense five-day search for the suspected murderer.
Authorities identified the suspect as 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, who was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after being recognized by a customer and an employee at a McDonald’s. They believed he matched the description of the gunman, as stated during a press conference.
Upon being questioned by two officers inside the McDonald’s about his recent whereabouts in New York, Mangione appeared shaken and remained silent, according to one of the officers at a press briefing.
He was found wearing a mask and seated alone, accompanied only by a laptop and a backpack.
Inside the backpack, police discovered a black “ghost gun”—a firearm built from parts that cannot be traced—equipped with a loaded magazine and a silencer.
Pennsylvania officials noted that the gun, along with some clothing and a mask, matched the description of those used by the murderer.
Mangione was taken to the Blair County courthouse in Altoona for his arraignment that evening, facing charges related to firearms and forgery.
The presiding judge questioned Mangione about his understanding of the charges, to which he acknowledged understanding. No plea was recorded.
New York prosecutors have also filed four related gun charges against Mangione, according to court documents.
Citing the discovery of fake IDs and a significant amount of cash, Pennsylvania prosecutors argued that Mangione posed a flight risk and successfully requested that bail be denied. Police are currently examining several electronic devices found in his possession.
During a press conference, Pennsylvania police mentioned their ongoing investigation to determine if Mangione had accomplices or plans to commit further crimes. They noted his presence in Pennsylvania for several days and are looking into his activities during that time.
Originally from Maryland, Mangione possessed several fake identifications, including a fraudulent New Jersey ID that matched the one the gunman used to check into a hostel in Manhattan shortly before the incident, officials revealed.
A handwritten document found among his belongings hinted at his motives and mindset, as shared by New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch earlier that day.
Although the document didn’t list specific targets, Mangione was noted to harbor animosity toward corporate America, as stated by Joseph Kenny, the NYPD’s chief of detectives.
Mangione, who graduated as valedictorian from a private all-boys school in Baltimore in 2016, later earned dual engineering degrees from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020, his school records show. His most recent address was in Honolulu, according to authorities.
Thompson, aged 50, was fatally shot outside a Manhattan hotel early Wednesday by a masked individual who seemed to await his arrival before firing from behind.
The suspect fled the scene on foot and then by bicycle into Central Park. Surveillance footage later showed him leaving the park and hailing a taxi to a bus station in northern Manhattan, where it is believed he boarded a bus to escape the city.
