A McDonald’s employee’s actions led to the arrest of the man suspected of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Pennsylvania law enforcement praised the worker for a break in the case while some corners of the internet are doing the complete opposite.
The worker has been labeled a “snitch” and a “rat” for tipping off police to the fast-food chain’s Altoona restaurant.
Luigi Mangione, 26, was spotted eating at a local McDonald’s. The employee recognized the man based on photos released by the NYPD during their hunt for the elusive shooter. Thompson was shot in the back on Dec. 4 on the streets of Manhattan in an attack that police call targeted.
The tip from the worker also opened the flood gates to negative reviews inundating Google. Dozens of people left one-star reviews for three McDonald’s locations in Altoona.
“This locations has rats in the kitchen that will make you sick and your insurance isn’t going to cover it,” said one review.
It’s the latest case of “review bombing,” when businesses are slammed with bad reviews for unrelated situations. Another Pennsylvania McDonald’s went through the same thing in October after Donald Trump visited and worked the drive-thru line while on the campaign trail.
Google said the reviews go against its current policy and the company stepped in to remove any comments related to the shooting.
Yelp also made the same decision. The company began shutting down reviews for the locations. A statement also pops up on its website, citing unusual activity.
“This business recently received increased public attention, which often means people come to this page to post their views on the news.”
Statement by Yelp
Thompson’s death has captivated the public and led to discussions on social media surrounding America’s health care industry. Many praise the killer and mock the CEO’s murder.
According to court documents, murder charges have been filed against Mangione in New York. He awaits extradition. The McDonald’s employee who called 911 could receive a $50,000 reward offered by the FBI or the $10,000 New York police posted for the suspect’s arrest.
Mangione faces multiple charges in Pennsylvania for gun and forgery following his arrest.
