Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Maryland native and Ivy League graduate, has been taken into custody in connection with the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. His capture followed a five-day manhunt that ended at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Authorities suggest Mangione’s actions may have been fueled by a deep resentment toward the healthcare industry, rooted in personal and familial experiences, according to multiple reports.
Mangione was identified by a McDonald’s employee who had seen surveillance images circulated during the search. He was arrested while eating breakfast and found carrying a “ghost gun” — an untraceable firearm assembled with 3D-printed parts — equipped with a silencer, along with several fake IDs. Investigators also recovered a handwritten manifesto that detailed his grievances with corporate America.
Thompson, aged 50, was killed last Wednesday in a targeted attack outside a Midtown Manhattan hotel. Surveillance footage captured a masked individual shooting Thompson with precision, clearing a weapon malfunction, and firing again to deliver the fatal shot. The suspect then fled on an electric bike through Central Park. Bullet casings found at the scene were engraved with phrases such as “Deny,” “Defend,” and “Depose,” which appeared to reference criticisms of health insurance practices. Although Thompson’s leadership at UnitedHealthcare had been the subject of public scrutiny, investigators have not confirmed whether Mangione’s alleged actions were directly connected to Thompson’s corporate role.
The news of Mangione’s arrest shocked those who knew him. A valedictorian from Baltimore’s Gilman School, he graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science from the University of Pennsylvania. Mangione went on to work in artificial intelligence and data engineering, listing Honolulu, Hawaii, as his most recent address on LinkedIn. Friends described him as personable and accomplished, though some noted that he had recently withdrawn from social activities. His online presence hinted at personal struggles, with a Goodreads account featuring books about chronic back pain and a social media post showing an X-ray of a spine with surgical screws.
Investigators also discovered troubling connections in Mangione’s ideology. He reportedly expressed sympathy for Ted Kaczynski’s critiques of modern society but condemned the violent acts associated with Kaczynski’s manifesto. Mangione’s own manifesto, a two-and-a-half-page document, accused corporate greed of inflicting harm on society. Statements like “These parasites had it coming” conveyed anger, while an apology for “any strife and trauma” suggested he may have acted alone and without external funding.
Earlier on Monday, it appeared that the suspect may have posted cryptic messages on YouTube that warned of something more to happen, wrote Newsweek.
YouTube suspended the account later Monday for “violating our policies covering impersonation, which prohibit content intended to impersonate another person on YouTube,” a company spokesperson told Newsweek in an email.
“The channel’s metadata was updated following widespread reporting of Luigi Mangione’s arrest, including updates made to the channel name and handle,” the spokesperson said. The company said it also terminated three other channels “owned by the suspect, per our Creator Responsibility Guidelines. These channels had not posted content in over 7 months.”
“If you see this, I’m already under arrest,” said a caption in the silent, 84-second clip posted by the account, @PepMangione. The handle matched other social media accounts that belonged to Luigi Mangione, the man who was arrested on Monday. He was arraigned on forgery and weapons charges in Pennsylvania. Mangione has not been charged with Thompson’s murder.
The first video message was accompanied by a countdown from 60 seconds. Near the end of the video, the message, “Soon…” appeared at the bottom right of a black screen. A second caption appeared at the end of the video, saying, “All is scheduled, be patient. Bye for now.”
A second video was scheduled to go live at 6:45 p.m. EST on Monday, but YouTube suspended the account before it started streaming, after this story was published.
This video just went up on YouTube under the same account name as the alleged assassin’s X account: pic.twitter.com/aaBTaeaYzB
— Dr. Ben Braddock (@GraduatedBen) December 9, 2024
Public reaction to the incident has been polarizing. While some online commentators have disturbingly cast Mangione as a folk hero, including liberal star reporter Taylor Lorenz, others have condemned the act of violence. The case has reignited debates over the ethics of healthcare corporations, particularly UnitedHealthcare, which has faced accusations of prioritizing profits over patient care and denying claims at higher-than-average rates.
Mangione faces multiple charges, including weapons possession, forgery, and false identification. He remains in custody in Pennsylvania as New York authorities work to extradite him.
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Kudo’s to the alert McDonald’s worker and the responding patrol cops. Thumbs down to the murderers family who had to recognize him if they didn’t contact the cops to try and prevent more senseless murders. There is no way they didn’t recognize him on the surveillance videos released to the media.