‘Powerful person of interest’ in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO identified and arrested, police say

A “strong person of interest” was arrested. in Pennsylvania on Monday after discovering he had a fake ID with the same name used by the suspected killer with UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, officials said.

A 26-year-old Altoona man, identified as Luigi Mangione, was arrested on gun charges, New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters.

“Additionally, officers found a handwritten document that speaks to both his motivations and his mindset,” Tisch said.

The man being questioned was at a McDonald’s in Altoona, where an employee looked suspicious and called police, police said.

“We think we have a serious person,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.

The document suggesting his motivation was in the form of three handwritten pages, evidence now in possession of Altoona police, New York authorities said.

“It appears that he has some ill will toward corporate America,” said Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenney.

The man in custody also had a weapon that may have been homemade and therefore not listed by any law enforcement or government agencies.

“The information we are getting from Altoona is that the gun appears to be a ghost gun and may have been 3D printed,” Kenney said.

“He was in possession of a ghost gun capable of firing 9mm cartridges and a suppressor.”

Police said the public’s help played a key role in finding the suspect.

“There are a lot of pins and needles in this case,” Kenney said. “We’ve recovered a tremendous amount of forensic evidence, a tremendous amount of video footage, and again, with your help, with the public’s help.”

Police found clothing that matched the suspect’s and a fake ID used at a hostel in New York, Commissioner Tisch said.

The name on that fake ID was Mark Rosario, which matched the name of Thompson’s alleged killer to stay in a New York hostel Several law enforcement sources told NBC News a few days before the attack.

Thompson was shot in front of New York’s Hilton Midtown, about 280 miles from Altoona a masked assailant approached from behind.

The killer opened fire around 6:45 am. Surveillance video shows him fleeing on foot and then on a bicycle into Central Park, authorities said. The latest footage of the suspected gunman shows him entering a bus station in Upper Manhattan, police said.

Law enforcement sources said investigators are looking into whether the man being questioned in Altoona came there by bus from Philadelphia, about 240 miles away.

The FBI has announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the attacker, on top of the $10,000 total already being offered by Crime Stoppers and the NYPD.

Thompson’s killing rocked the corporate and health care worlds, raising questions about adequate security for top executives.

The shooting also revealed a deep, ugly grudge against private healthcare companies feeds of social networks were inundated with posts celebrating—or at least justifying—Thompson’s murder.