Minnesota Man Arrested in Bizarre Jail Break Attempt: Allegedly Posed as FBI Agent Armed with BBQ Fork, Pizza Cutter
Federal authorities at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn thwarted a peculiar escape attempt Wednesday evening, arresting a man who allegedly posed as an FBI agent while carrying a barbecue fork and a pizza cutter.
Mark Anderson, 34, of Minnesota, approached the intake area around 6:50 p.m., presenting himself as a federal agent with a court order to release an inmate, according to a criminal complaint filed in the Eastern District of New York. While the complaint did not identify the intended inmate, a law enforcement source confirmed to Fox News it was Luigi Mangione, the man accused of the high-profile killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in late 2024.
"He stated he had paperwork signed by a judge," the complaint reads. When officers requested his credentials, Anderson reportedly presented his Minnesota driver's license, claimed to be armed, and threw a stack of documents at staff—documents an FBI agent later described as personal legal claims against the U.S. Department of Justice.
A subsequent search of his backpack revealed the unusual arsenal: a large, metal barbecue fork and a pizza cutter. Authorities stressed that no inmates were released and facility operations were not disrupted.
Background and Implications: The incident highlights ongoing security challenges at federal detention facilities and raises questions about vetting procedures for individuals claiming official business. Mangione's case has remained in the national spotlight since the shocking daytime shooting of a Fortune 500 CEO, a crime that sparked widespread debate on executive security. Anderson now faces a felony charge of impersonating a federal officer, which carries a potential three-year prison sentence.
Reactions and Commentary:
"This reads like a bad movie plot," said James Corrigan, a former federal prison warden and security consultant. "The tools chosen suggest either profound desperation or a severe misjudgment of prison security protocols. It underscores that while physical barriers are strong, human-factor vetting at the point of entry is critical."
"It's absurd and frankly embarrassing," snapped criminal defense attorney Lisa Moreno. "This isn't just a prank; it's a massive waste of resources and a security scare at a facility holding a defendant in a nationally watched case. What if he had been armed with an actual weapon? The response was effective, but the fact he got that far is concerning."
"You have to wonder about the mental state of the individual involved," noted Dr. Aliyah Chen, a forensic psychologist. "The choice of items and the brazen approach could point to a detachment from reality or a symbolic act, rather than a coherent escape plan. The legal system will need to assess his competency."
Mangione remains held at the MDC as his murder case proceeds. The FBI and NYPD are jointly investigating the attempted impersonation incident.