On a brisk, gray December morning in Altoona, Pennsylvania, the pursuit of Luigi Mangione — the alleged killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson — came to an unassuming end. Mangione, the subject of a five-day manhunt that spanned multiple states, was arrested in a McDonald’s dining room after a customer recognized him and alerted an employee, who swiftly called the police.
The arrest prompted equally swift praise from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, who hailed the employee as a “hero,” and pointed to the moment as an example of ordinary people stepping up in extraordinary ways. But online, this declaration of heroism was quickly complicated by vehement backlish. The McDonald’s where Mangione was picked up became the subject of a review-bombing campaign, with commenters condemning the restaurant for “ratting out” the fugitive.
