New York assassination: Police arrest man at McDonald's after extending search for Brian Thompson's killer to Pennsylvania

He was approached by officers after customers at a McDonald's restaurant flagged his "suspicious" behaviour to the New York Police Department (NYPD).

The individual was carrying a similar gun used in the shooting of the UnitedHealthCare CEO. He was also found with a silencer and a fake New Jersey ID.

Officers from New York are on their way to Altoona, Pennsylvania, where Mangione, is being questioned. The arrest was carried out by Altoona Police.

The man has ties to San Francisco, and used to live in Honolulu, Hawaii, officers confirmed. He has not been charged in connection to the death of Thompson.

“At this time, he is believed to be our person of interest in the brazen targeted murder of Brian Thompson, CEO of United Healthcare” New York City’s police commissioner Jessica Tisch said.

“This apprehension is thanks to the tireless work of the greatest detectives in the world and, of course, the strong relationships we have with our local law enforcement partners on every level, local, state and federal” Tisch added.

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New York’s Mayor, Eric Adams has said that they have found the person of interest through “good old fashioned police work”.

“We have a strong person of interest in the shooting that shook our city” he added.

Sources had told NBC News that it is "too soon" to determine whether the man is connected to last week's murder, however, officers believe it could be a "potentially significant development".

Last week, the NYPD released pictures of a "person of interest" in connection with the murder. In the CCTV images, the potential assassin can be seen grinning after the "premeditated attack".

It is not known if the man being questioned in Altoona is the same person who has appeared in the surveillance footage.

Thompson was gunned down in what police described as a "brazen, targeted attack" outside the New York Hilton Midtown on December 4.

Detectives found the words "deny", "defend" and "depose" etched onto shell casings recovered from the scene, potentially offering clues about the killer's motives.

Tisch also confirmed that the attack was "premeditated", though the motive remains unknown.

The shooting occurred at approximately 6.46am on December 4 near the New York Hilton Midtown on Sixth Avenue.

After being shot multiple times, Thompson was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital in East Harlem in critical condition. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

Police have since launched a manhunt for the suspect, offering a £50,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.

The "grinning assassin", whose images were shared by the NYP last week, fled the scene on foot before riding an electric bike into Central Park.