A McDonald's customer has recalled the chilling moment when he unknowingly joked about a wanted fugitive moments before the suspect's arrest at the fast-food chain.
The incident took place at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania, where Luigi Mangione, suspected of being the notorious 'New York shooter', was apprehended by authorities.
Mr Mangione was charged on Monday night with second-degree murder following last week's fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City.
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The crime spree had sparked a nationwide manhunt, with Mangione's face plastered across news outlets and social media platforms.
Larry, a witness present at the McDonald's during the arrest, recounted the bizarre encounter to reporters.
He and his friends were casually joking among themselves when Mangione entered the restaurant.
"One of my friends, and I thought he was kidding when the shooter - who they made the arrest on - came in, he made a comment: 'Well, that looks like the shooter from New York','" Larry said.
"But the group of us thought it was more of a joke, and we were kidding about it. But then, as it turned out, it was him."
The group didn't take the comment seriously, brushing it off as a tasteless joke.
Larry admitted he didn't think much of it at the time and even left the restaurant shortly after to attend church.
It wasn't until later that the reality of the situation hit him. News broke that the man he and his friends had been joking about was indeed Mangione, who was arrested on-site by law.
"It was like she got in her mind: 'Oh, my God, it's a guy from New York'," Larry said on Tuesday.
A restaurant employee also told him she had spotted the likeness. She took particular note of his "eyes and his eyebrows" while taking his order.
Mr Mangione was detained by police at 09:58 local time (14:58 GMT) after being recognised by a customer at the fast-food outlet, who flagged their concern to an employee who then called local police, the BBC reports.
Officers found him sitting in the restaurant wearing a blue mask and looking at a laptop. They said they recognised him as the suspect after he removed the mask.
When asked whether he had been to New York recently, he 'became quiet and started to shake', according to an affidavit.
He was found in possession of a gun and a handwritten document that expressed 'ill will' towards corporate America and a false ID, according to police.
For Larry, the incident was a sobering reminder of how surreal life can be.
"It's crazy to think that someone you joke about like that could actually be who you're talking about," he said. "It's a moment I'll never forget."
The McDonald's location where the arrest took place has since resumed normal operations.
Mr Mangione initially appeared in a Pennsylvania court on Monday charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm and other charges.
In New York, he faces second-degree murder charges as well as charges for possession of a false ID and weapons possession charges.
Topics: Crime, Luigi Mangione, New York, US News
Sara Keenan