Police doubted tip that resulted in apprehension of suspect in UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting

During court proceedings in Manhattan on Tuesday, it was revealed that police officers involved in the apprehension of Luigi Mangione initially doubted the reliability of the tip regarding his location, joking about a sandwich reward in their messages. Joseph Detwiler, a police officer from Altoona, Pennsylvania, testified about an exchange with his supervisor: He said, if you catch the New York City shooter, Ill get you a hoagie from a local place, to which Detwiler replied, Consider it done. Within an hour, Detwiler discovered the tip was accurate.

Mangione was arrested on December 9, 2024, at a McDonalds in Pennsylvania for the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of United HealthCare. Thompson had been killed on a New York City street on December 4, 2024, triggering an extensive manhunt and heightening public scrutiny of the nations for-profit health insurance sector.

Following the dispatchs directions, Detwiler and a colleague went to the McDonalds. I saw a male sitting near the bathrooms, Detwiler recounted. The individual wore a long coat, a brown beanie, and a blue medical mask, matching the description from the tip. Detwiler observed the mans reaction as he walked by, then asked for his name and identification, and requested he lower his mask. I knew immediately it was him, Detwiler said.

Mangione appeared in court shortly after 9:50 a.m., dressed in a dark jacket, with handcuffs removed before sitting at the defense table. He faces both state and federal charges and has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Detwilers testimony took place on the second day of a potentially weeklong hearing concerning whether evidence collected at Mangiones arrest was obtained legally. Mangiones attorneys have sought to exclude this evidence, claiming he was not promptly advised of his constitutional rights.

The arrest followed a 911 call from the McDonalds manager reporting that customers believed they had seen the shooter. Detwiler, as the first officer on the scene, recounted the dispatch alert: Theres a male in the [McDonalds] that looks like the NYC shooter. He responded, 10-4. Well be on that, though he admitted his initial tone was semi-sarcastic, as he doubted the tips accuracy.

Additional details of Mangiones apprehension were shown in court, including body camera footage. Detwiler described staying composed after confirming Mangiones identity and notifying his supervisor, who had sent the hoagie text, that the suspect was indeed present. Detwiler interacted calmly with Mangione, telling him police were responding to complaints about loitering. Footage showed Mangione eating a hash-brown patty and another item, with Detwiler making casual conversation to maintain a calm environment.

The role of Mangiones mask in drawing attention was highlighted. Detwiler explained that mask-wearing was uncommon in Altoona, making the man in a mask stand out. He had a mask on, so he had to be the person we were called there for, Detwiler said.

Author: Sophia Brooks