According to the criminal complaint, cited by the BBC, the man went to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, under the pretext of having documents “signed by a judge” authorizing the release of an inmate.
Although the complaint does not mention the name of the prisoner in question, police sources close to the case told the British public broadcaster that this would be Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old accused of murdering Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealth.
In the document, New York prison authorities describe the moment they requested the presentation of Anderson’s credentials, and he handed over his driver’s license, in addition to having “shown and thrown numerous documents”e claimed to be in possession of weapons.The American, from Mankato, in the State of Minnesota, was detained at the scene by agents, who searched his suitcase, where he was carrying a large “barbecue-type fork” and a tool similar to a pizza cutter.
According to a police source, also mentioned by the UK public channel, the man was in New York City looking for a job, currently working in a pizzeria in Minnesota.
Mark Anderson appeared before a judge on Thursday, the day after the incident, without a defense..Luigi Mangione faces charges in the shooting death of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The case, which dates back to December 2024, received a lot of media attention around the world and sparked a debate in the United States about the costs of healthcare in the country.
The young man attracted a large number of supporters, who raised thousands of euros in donations to finance the defense of Mangione, who many describe as a “national hero”.
The trial is still awaiting the jury selection process, scheduled for September this year.
