(NewsNation) — Nine days after United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated on the streets of New York City, a new report indicates the manhunt included a crucial tip from San Francisco police.
An officer in the Special Victims Unit of the San Francisco Police Department recognized Mangione in photos shared with the public on Dec. 5, days before Luigi Mangione was found. The officer tipped off the FBI, per San Francisco Chronicle.
NewsNation has reached out to the San Francisco Police Department for comment.
Prosecutors in Manhattan have also reportedly started presenting evidence to a grand jury in the case. NewsNation reached out to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office for confirmation but due to the ongoing Grand Jury proceedings, they declined to confirm.
Mangione has been held at State Correctional Institution Huntingdon in western Pennsylvania since Monday.
He was charged with forgery and possession of an instrument of a crime. Now he’s facing extradition to New York, and a second-degree murder charge, among others.
Mangione has contested his extradition back to New York. Prosecutors will have to provide evidence that Mangione is the person charged with murder in New York.
His lawyer, Thomas Dickey, told NewsNation that he hasn’t seen sufficient evidence to link Mangione to the crime.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has called evidence against Mangione very compelling. She has 30 days to sign off on his extradition to New York.
In the meantime, Mangione faces a preliminary hearing in Pennsylvania on December 23rd.
Then on, December 30, he’ll be back in court to seek bail, and again, his attorney is expected to present evidence, arguing against that extradition request.
