What happened at the McDonald's in Altoona, PA? Customer hailed 'hero' after arrest made
The person who spotted the shooting suspect in last week's killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO Brian Thompson at a Pennsylvania McDonald's is receiving praise from officials after the tip led to the arrest of Luigi Mangione.
"I want to begin by thanking our fellow Pennsylvania resident who acted as a hero today," Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Monday during a joint press conference in Blair County, alongside a half-dozen other leaders including Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks and Altoona Police Department Deputy Chief Derek Swope.
"A Pennsylvania resident saw something early this morning at McDonald's and said something to our local police," Shapiro told reporters.
For six days, local, state and federal authorities had been searching for the person who on the morning of Dec. 4, brazenly opened fire along a New York City sidewalk and killed Thompson.
The manhunt ended Monday when Mangione, 26, was captured Monday at a McDonald’s in Altoona, about 100 miles east of Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania State Police said the suspect was spotted while eating at the restaurant by a customer who alerted a McDonald's employee.
Monday's news conference came shortly after Mangione, a native of Maryland, was arraigned in Pennsylvania on charges including forgery, carrying a firearm without a license, possessing instruments of a crime and false identification to law enforcement, Blair County charging documents show.
Authorities confirmed Mangione remained jailed without bond in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, but was expected to be extradited to New York City to face a murder charge filed by Manhattan prosecutors late Monday.
Authorities have not released the names of the customer who spotted Mangione, nor the employee who notified authorities.
Prior to Mangione being located, $60,000 in reward money was being offered for information leading to the suspect's arrest and conviction.
What we know: Luigi Mangione charged with murder in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO
'He acted swiftly, he acted with smarts, he acted with calm'
Shapiro asked residents to demonstrate "the same type of thoughtfulness and courage" as the McDonald's customer who alerted a worker about what they saw, encouraging people to come forward with any information or tips they may have about the suspect or the killing.
He also thanked law enforcement for their swift efforts to apprehend the suspect, including Altoona police Officer Tyler Frye, who took the suspect into custody at the fast food restaurant.
"He acted swiftly, he acted with smarts, he acted with calm," Shapiro said of the rookie officer, who has been on the job for six months.
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What happened inside the McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania?
In a press conference Monday evening, authorities detailed what took place inside the McDonald's in Altoona earlier that day.
About 9:14 a.m. on Monday, police received a call about a suspicious male eating at a local restaurant. Authorities said the person matched the description of the suspect wanted in Thompson's slaying.
Inside the restaurant, officers approached the man who was wearing a face mask, asked him to remove it, and they immediately recognized him as the wanted suspect.
Authorities said the suspect began shaking when police asked if he had recently been in New York.
"That really invoked a physical reaction from the suspect," said Swope, of the Altoona Police Department. "He didn't really answer it directly. That statement alone really said a lot."
He was asked for identification and provided a fake New Jersey ID card, officials said. Mangione was arrested on the forgery charge.
"It was a peaceful arrest," Swope said.
Officers then took the suspect into custody, transported him to the Altoona Police Department, where, during a search, officers found a U.S. passport that identified him as Luigi Mangione.
Officers also located a firearm, a suppressor, written documents, electronic devices and other items of evidentiary value that authorities will be reviewing in coming, days authorities said.
Troopers on Tuesday released photos of Mangione that appear to show him eating. He was wearing a tan hat and black coat. In some of the photos, he has a blue and white medical mask around his face pulled down.
Mayor Eric Adams also commends officer who arrested
New York City Mayor Eric Adams spoke with the officer who took Mangione into custody, according to a video posted to his X account, and praised him for his swift action.
"You took a dangerous person off the street, and we thank you so much," Adams, a former New York City Police Department officer, told Frye during a FaceTime video.
"I can't say I was expecting it waking up this morning," Frye responded to Adams. "I'm more than happy to take someone like that off the street."
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What happened at Altoona, PA McDonald's? Customer hailed as 'hero'