Nathan Mahoney is suspected of stabbing Anderson Express, Inc. CEO Erik Denslow in what could be a potential copycat act of Luigi Mangione’s alleged shooting of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Who Is Nathan Mahoney?
Mahoney reportedly lives in Walker, Michigan, and is about a 40-minute drive from Muskegon, Michigan, where Anderson Express is located. He had recently been hired by Anderson Express and had begun employee training just two weeks prior to the stabbing, according to a report from WOODTV published on December 18, 2024. Mahoney was hired to take over a high-ranking position from someone who had recently retired from the organization. Police said that others who work for Anderson Express described Mahoney as having “a quiet demeanor.”
Why Was Nathan Mahoney Arrested?
Mahoney allegedly entered a conference room during a staff meeting at Anderson Express while wearing a black medical mask and stabbed Denslow in the side on December 18, 2024. An arrest affidavit obtained by MLive stated that Mahoney committed the act with a red-handled knife with a four inch blade. Fruitport Township police said that following the stabbing, Mahoney evacuated the building before fleeing the scene. Approximately 15 minutes later, Mahoney was arrested and charged with assault with intent to murder and fleeing and eluding a police officer, according to Fruitport Township police, per USA Today.
The Fruitport Township Police Department in Muskegon later sent out a press release regarding the incident.
“Our initial investigation has revealed that at approximately 9:20 a.m. this morning during a staff meeting with employees, the President of Anderson Express Inc. was stabbed by a 32-year-old male employee,” the press release read. “After stabbing the victim in the side with a knife, the suspect ran from the business, entered his vehicle and fled the scene. The suspect was stopped by police and taken into custody about 15 minutes later.”
The statement continued, “The 32-year-old male suspect who resides in Walker, MI. remains in custody and is expected to be arraigned tomorrow. Fellow employees described the suspect as having a quiet demeanor and a motive for the stabbing has not been established at this time. The victim is currently out of surgery and remains in serious but stable condition.”
The press release added that the incident was an “ongoing investigation” and the local police department had “obtained video recordings at the scene.” They also asked for “the public to contact our office with any information regarding this incident.”
In Touch confirmed via online records that Mahoney is being held in the Muskegon County Jail and his bond has been set at $500,000.
Police Aren’t Ruling Out ‘Copycat Attack’ of UHC CEO Brian Thompson
The Fruitport Township Police Department revealed that it was possible that the attack on Denslow could potentially be inspired by the December 2024 murder of Thompson.
“We haven’t ruled out copycat motive in regards to this,” Fruitport Township Deputy Chief Greg Poulson told News 8 on December 18, 2024. “I think that comes to everyone’s mind in this time. We’re going through all his social accounts, all his electronic media and trying to determine a motive for this act.It seems to be the popular thing in this day and age.”
Thompson was fatally shot on December 4, 2024, as he exited a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan. An individual approached Thompson from behind before firing a gun at his back. When Thompson stumbled to ground, the person walked closer and fired off another round before fleeing the scene. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but later died from his injuries.
On December 9, 2024, Mangione was named as a suspect in the murder and later arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He was charged with charged with one count of using a firearm to commit murder, one count of interstate stalking resulting in death, one count of stalking through use of interstate facilities resulting in death and one count of discharging a firearm that was equipped with a silencer in furtherance of a crime of violence.
No hearing has been set for Mangione at the time of publication.