'Rat Behind the Counter:' Fans of CEO Murder Suspect Flood PA

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An Altoona, Pennsylvania McDonald’s is under fire after an employee tip led to the arrest of a suspect in the high-profile murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Fans of the alleged killer have flooded the restaurant with negative Google reviews, leading the tech giant to intervene.

Penn Live reports that the arrest of Luigi Mangione, 26, in connection with the brazen Manhattan killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has sparked a wave of negative reviews and backlash against McDonald’s restaurants in Altoona, Pennsylvania where he was arrested. The controversy began when a McDonald’s employee alerted authorities to a customer who was allegedly found with a weapon and writings linking him to the crime.

Following the tip, online reviews for at least five different McDonald’s locations in Altoona plummeted on Google, with many featuring politically charged commentary and outlandish stories related to the killing. In a statement, a Google spokesperson said: “These reviews violate our policies and have been removed.”

The policy says that review contributions “should reflect a genuine experience at a place or business” and that “content that has been posted from multiple accounts to manipulate a place’s rating” will be removed. The incident has ignited a nationwide discussion about health insurance companies denying claims and the public perception of their practices.

One review on Monday reads: “This fast food restaurant houses a traitor among its employees. The working class has betrayed humanity.”

Another stated: “Very large rat behind the counter. Not very nutritional food. I’ve heard the employees get free food for working a shift–hope they have health insurance to cover the future heart attacks. .! oh wait.”

Another reviewer stated: “The staff accused me of assassinating a CEO. Incredibly unprofessional and class-traitor staff.”

The motive behind the killing remains unclear, but the incident has drawn attention to the public’s growing frustration with insurance companies prioritizing profits and executive compensation over customers’ medical needs. While some online have expressed support for the suspect, viewing him as a folk hero, others find the jokes and support for premeditated murder despicable, especially considering Thompson’s family.

Mangione, a University of Pennsylvania graduate, is scheduled for a court hearing in Blair County on a gun charge related to a ghost gun found in his possession during the arrest. The McDonald’s employee who provided the tip may be eligible for a $50,000 FBI reward offered for information leading to an arrest in the case.

The backlash against the Altoona McDonald’s is reminiscent of the reaction faced by the Upper West Side hostel where Mangione allegedly stayed during his time in New York City. Workers at the hostel were labeled “narcs” for cooperating with police in the investigation.