The family of Luigi Mangione have issued a statement following his arrest over the murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Brian Thompson.

Mangione was arrested on Monday (9 December) outside of a Pennsylvania McDonald’s after a member of the public identified Mangione and tipped off the police.

When he was apprehended, he was found with items linking him to the murder of the CEO, which included a gun, mask and a series of writings.

The 26-year-old from Maryland was taken into custody and is currently being held without bail in Pennsylvania.

He was also charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police.

Luigi Mangione was arrested outside a McDonald’s (PA/Department of Corrections/Handout)

Thompson, 50, was fatally shot in the back and once in the calf outside the Hilton Hotel on Sixth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan last Wednesday.

‘Deny’, ‘depose’ and ‘defend’ were engraved on the live rounds and shell casings left behind from the silent gun.

The death of the CEO has caused widespread shock as his death sent ripples throughout the nation, and now Mangione’s family have issued a statement on social media.

Mangione’s family ‘shocked and devastated’

Following the news of Mangione’s arrest, his family released a statement which was posted on Twitter saying they were ‘shocked’ by the news.

Mangione’s cousin, Nino, who is a Republican member of the lower house of Maryland’s state legislature, wrote: “Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione.

“We only know what we have read in the media.”

He noted: “Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson, and we ask people to pray for all involved.”