NEW YORK (NewsNation) — The NYPD said Thursday evening the suspected UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter was never a client of the insurance company.
Police believe rather that suspect Luigi Mangione targeted Brian Thompson because of the insurer’s size and influence in the industry.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny told NBC New York in an interview Thursday that investigators have uncovered evidence Luigi Mangione had prior knowledge UnitedHealthcare was holding its annual investor conference in New York City.
“We have no indication that he was ever a client of United Healthcare, but he does make mention that it is the fifth largest corporation in America, which would make it the largest health care organization in America. So that’s possibly why he targeted that company,” said Kenny.
UnitedHealthcare is in the top 20 largest U.S. companies by market capitalization but is not the fifth largest. It is the largest U.S. health insurer.
Mangione remains jailed without bail in Pennsylvania, where he was arrested Monday after being spotted at a McDonald’s in the city of Altoona, about 230 miles west of New York City. His lawyer there, Thomas Dickey, has said Mangione intends to plead not guilty. Dickey also told NewsNation he has yet to see evidence decisively linking his client to the crime.
“I don’t want people to jump to these prejudgment things because nobody would ever want that if they were accused, or one of their loved ones were accused,” Dickey said exclusively on “CUOMO” Tuesday.
Mangione is fighting attempts to extradite him back to New York so that he can face a murder charge in Thompson’s killing. A hearing has been scheduled for Dec. 30.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.