The suspect in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has been involved in a tussle with police outside a Pennsylvania courthouse.
Luigi Mangione, 26, handcuffed and wearing an orange prison uniform, was seen struggling with officers who had to push him against a wall.
During the dramatic scenes, Mangione shouted to reporters: “It’s completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people and their lived experience.”
Inside Blair County Courthouse, the suspect announced his intention to challenge extradition to New York, where he faces murder charges.
Luigi Mangione tussles with police outside court as Brian Thompson New York assassin suspect denied bail
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The legal process could now last weeks, according to officials.
During the hearing, Mangione, who was denied bail, was seen rocking in his chair, occasionally consulting papers and looking back at the gallery.
Mangione was arrested on Monday after being spotted at a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona, Pennsylvania, roughly 230 miles west of New York.
A customer known only as Larry told NBC News that his friend had recognised the suspect, noting a similar backpack to the one seen in previous images.
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The shooting of Brian Thompson occurred at approximately 6.46am on Wednesday near the New York Hilton Midtown on Sixth AvenueREUTERS“I thought it was one of the employees, because they go back here on break, and they put their hoods up, and he was in the corner with his hood up,” Larry said.
A McDonald’s worker alerted authorities to the suspicious customer.
When police arrived, they discovered Mangione was carrying a gun, mask and incriminating writings.
Court documents revealed that Mangione began shaking when officers questioned him about recent travel to New York.
Upon arrest, police discovered Mangione was carrying $10,000 in cash, with £2,000 of it in foreign currency.
Luigi Mangione, 26, a suspect in the New York City killing of UnitedHealth executive Brian ThompsonReutersHe had also presented officers with a fake ID and was found in possession of a passport.
The firearm discovered matched the type used to kill Mr Thompson, who was shot whilst walking alone to a hotel for an investor conference.
According to NBC News, two senior law enforcement officials confirmed both the gun and suppressor were handmade.
Investigators are still working to determine whether Mangione manufactured the weapons himself or obtained them from another source.
The suspect’s last known address was in Honolulu, where he received a penalty notice for a minor traffic offence in November 2023.
A person holds a sign while standing on the roadside near the McDonald’s restaurant where Mangione was arrestedReutersPolice discovered three pages of writings in Mangione’s possession during his arrest.
The documents contained broad criticism of the US healthcare industry and large corporations, specifically targeting UnitedHealthcare.
In one particularly damning statement, the writings declared “frankly these parasites had it coming.”
The suspect also explicitly stated in the documents “I wasn’t working with anyone,” suggesting he acted alone in the attack.
The writings form part of the evidence linking Mangione to the targeted killing of the healthcare executive.
These documents appear to provide insight into the possible motivation behind the fatal shooting of the 50-year-old CEO.