Person of interest in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is in custody

NEW YORK — A man in Pennsylvania is being questioned in connection to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City, police sources tell CBS News New York.

The man was identified as 26-year-old Luigi Mangione. Sources say he was spotted at a McDonald’s in Altoona by someone who’d seen photos of the person of interest in the case. Local authorities responded and arrested him on an illegal gun charge. 

“At this time, he is believed to be our person of interest in the brazen, targeted murder of Brian Thompson,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. “The suspect was in a McDonald’s and then recognized by an employee who then called police. Responding officers questioned the suspect, who was acting suspiciously and was carrying multiple fraudulent IDs as well as a U.S. passport.” 

“This is a strong person of interest,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. “He matches the description of the identification we’ve been looking for. He’s also in possession of several items that we believe will connect him to this incident.”     

After Thompson, 50, was fatally shot outside the Hilton Midtown hotel on Dec. 4, NYPD identified a person of interest who they said had used a fake New Jersey ID to check into a hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Investigators later said they believed the person of interest had left New York City, possibly on a bus bound for Atlanta. 

Mangione was in possession of a gun and suppresser, matching a description of the weapon used to kill Thompson, when he was arrested, Tisch said. He also had a fake New Jersey ID, matching the one used to check into the Hostel, the commissioner said.

“Additionally, officers recovered a hand-written document that speaks to both his mindset and motivation,” Tisch said. “NYPD detectives are on their way to Pennsylvania as we seek to interview the subject further.” 

Over the weekend, NYPD continued to search Central Park for clues, specifically the weapon used to kill Thompson, but were unsuccessful. Investigators on Friday found what they believe is the suspected gunman’s backpack in the park, law enforcement officials told CBS News.

Shocking murder caught on video

Thompson’s murder outside the Hilton on Sixth Avenue near West 54th Street in Midtown Manhattan was caught on surveillance video. It showed Thompson walking down the street and the gunman appearing behind him. Wielding a pistol with a silencer on it, the gunman is seen taking aim and firing, shooting Thompson in the back. As Thompson falls, the gunman appears to clear a jam in the weapon, take aim and fire again. The gun then apparently jams again, before the gunman clears the round and fires once more before running across the street. 

Tisch called the killing a “premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack” as the department launched an all-out manhunt and offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. The FBI was also offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.  

“Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” Tisch said at a news conference the day of the killing. “The full investigative efforts of the New York City Police Department are well underway, and we will not rest until we identify and apprehend the shooter in this case.”

Quickly, investigators put together a timeline of the shooting, including the suspect’s movements and escape route. 

The next day, police released images of a person they wanted to question in connection with the killing as they zeroed in on the hostel where he was allegedly staying.

contributed to this report.