((Automated translation by Reuters, please see disclaimer https://bit.ly/rtrsauto))
(More details on wanted person, including “manifesto”, paragraphs 1-4; history of murder, paragraphs 8-9)
Authorities arrested a man in central Pennsylvania on Monday in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week after finding him in possession of a gun, silencer and fake ID cards similar to those used by the killer, several media reported.
Investigators were alerted to the man’s presence after he was spotted at an Altoona McDonald’s by someone who thought he looked like the suspected killer, CNN reported, citing unnamed officials.
The man interviewed had a handwritten “manifesto” criticizing health care companies for prioritizing profits over care, the New York Times reported, citing a law enforcement official.
One of the fake cards found on the man also matched the ID the suspect used to check into a hostel in Manhattan before the shooting, according to the Times.
The man was arrested on local charges, possibly in connection with presenting a fake ID to police, and New York detectives traveled to Altoona, according to the Times.
Neither the New York nor Altoona police responded to a request for comment.
-Thompson, 50, was shot outside a Manhattan hotel early Wednesday morning by a masked man who appeared to be waiting for his arrival before shooting him from behind.
Police have not publicly identified a motive, but said Mr. Thompson appeared to have been deliberately targeted.
The words “deny”, “defend” and “depose” were engraved on shell casings found at the scene, several media reported. These words evoke the title of a book criticizing the insurance industry, published in 2010 and entitled “Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It.” defend: why insurance companies don’t pay claims and what you can do)
The suspect, who was not identified by police, ran from the scene and then rode his bike to Central Park. Surveillance video captured him leaving the park and taking a taxi to a bus station in northern Manhattan, where police believe he used a bus to flee the city.
Mr. Thompson, a father of two, had been chief executive of UnitedHealth Group’s insurance unit UNH.N since April 2021, following a 20-year career with the company. He was in New York to attend the company’s annual investor conference.
A UnitedHealth spokesperson declined to comment on the latest reports.
