The man involved in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson is in custody

A man in Pennsylvania is being questioned in connection with the death of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare Brian Thompson in New York, police sources told CBS News New York.

The man was identified as 26-year-old Luigi Mangione. Sources say he was spotted at McDonald’s by someone who saw photos of the man in the case.

“At this time, he is considered our person of interest in the brazen, targeted killing of Brian Thompson,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “The suspect was at McDonald’s, and then he was recognized by an employee who called the police. Responding officers questioned the suspect, who was acting suspiciously and was in possession of multiple fake IDs as well as a US passport.”

The NYPD identified Thompson, 50, outside the Hilton Midtown Hotel on December 4. interested person who they said used a fake New Jersey ID check into a hostel on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Investigators later said they believed the person of interest had left New York, maybe on a bus going to Atlanta.

A source close to the investigation said a person of interest was being questioned in Thompson’s killing after Pennsylvania authorities took him into custody for an unrelated incident in Altoona. He had a pistol with a silencer, suitable weapon description used to kill Thompson, and a fake New Jersey driver’s license, sources said.

Two law enforcement sources said a person at the McDonald’s restaurant called police in Pennsylvania after spotting Mangione, who they said resembled a man wanted by New York police. Local authorities responded and arrested him on a weapons charge while investigators worked to confirm whether he was the one who shot Thompson.

“This is a strong figure of interest,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “He fits the description of the ID we were looking for. He is also in possession of several items that we believe link him to this incident.”

Over the weekend, the NYPD continued the search of Central Park for clues, including the weapon used in Thompson’s murder, but were unsuccessful. On Friday, investigators found what they believe to be the backpack of the suspected attacker in the park, law enforcement officials told CBS News.

The shocking murder was caught on video

Thompson’s killing outside the Hilton Hotel on Sixth Avenue near West 54th Street in midtown Manhattan was caught on surveillance video. It showed Thompson walking down the street and a shooter appearing behind him. Armed with a silenced pistol, the gunman is seen taking aim and firing, shooting Thompson in the back. As Thompson falls, the shooter appears to clear the jam from his weapon, aim and fire again. The gun apparently jammed again before the shooter cleared the shot and fired again before running across the street.

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

“Many people walked past the suspect, but he appeared to be waiting for his intended target,” Tisch said. said at a press conference the day of the murder. “The NYPD continues to pursue all investigative activities, and we will not rest until we identify and arrest the shooter in this case.”

Investigators gathered quickly the timeline of the shooting, including the suspect’s movement and escape route.

next day, the police released an image of the person they wanted to question in connection with the murder as they aimed at the dormitory where he allegedly was.