26-year-old Luigi Mangione has been arrested as a suspect in the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. He was apprehended at a McDonalds in Altoona, Pennsylvania, 230 miles from the scene of the fatal shooting.
Two police officers reportedly found Mangione in the McDonalds using his laptop with a medical mask on. As he pulled the mask down, police recognized him from the security footage of the killer released prior. Mangione then provided a fake name and fake ID, which were unable to match any police records. This fake ID was reportedly the same ID he used to check into his New York hotel room. Once the police informed him this was an official police investigation, Mangione revealed his real name, expressing he “clearly shouldn’t have,” used a fake name.
Police found a 3D-printed pistol, as well as a 3D-printed silencer with loaded ammo on Mangione, which were all consistent with the murder weapon. There was also a handwritten document that spoke about his motivations, with no specific motive other than his “ill will towards corporate America.”
Mangione was born and raised in Maryland, where he became valedictorian of the Gilman School, a prestigious all-boys private school in Baltimore, and attended the University of Pennsylvania. He has no prior arrests in New York, and his last known permanent address was in Honolulu, Hawaii. A Goodreads profile with the same name as the suspect shows he read Unabomber Ted Kaczynski’s 1995 antitechnology manifesto. Kaczynski is notorious for sending bombs through the mail from 1978-1995.
Mangione’s family owns an end-of-life care facility. Similar facilities were being bought by United Healthcare in the area, putting many of them out of business. These activities were so prevalent that the State of Maryland sued United Healthcare for antitrust laws since they then owned almost every facility. This has not been proven as a motive but could represent an underlying cause for Mangione to distrust corporate America, as stated in his letter.
Mangione is now being held on five charges, including one felony count of forgery, one felony count of carrying a firearm without a license, one misdemeanor count of tampering with records or identification, one misdemeanor count of possessing instruments of a crime, and one misdemeanor count of false identification to law enforcement authorities. A plea was not entered for his first court appearance Monday evening, December 9th, which took place hours after his arrest. He has reportedly been presented with a state-appointed attorney, whose name has not been released.
This murder has left the entirety of American healthcare shaken, sparking various reactions online. Many social media users have pointed to the negatives of United Healthcare, pointing out their high premiums and pre-existing conditions lists.
This is an ongoing investigation. As this case develops, updates will follow.
