A man has now been charged with murder of UnitedHealthcare's CEO Brian Thompson, in New York City.
Luigi Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from Maryland, has since been taken into custody on Monday (9 December) following the shooting.
The 26-year-old is currently being held without bail in Pennsylvania and is likely to be transferred to a Pennsylvania state correctional facility this evening (10 December), Gov. Josh Shapiro said.
What happened to Brian Thompson?
Thompson, 50, who became the chief executive of the company in 2021, was shot dead outside the Hilton Hotel on Sixth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan last Wednesday (4 December).
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He was shot at least once in the back and once in the calf before he was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.
The suspected shooter fled the scene of the crime with the help of an e-bike in Central Park, ditching it around 7.00am near 85th Street.
The words 'deny', 'depose' and 'defend' were engraved on the live rounds and shell casings left behind from the silent gun.
How was Luigi Mangione caught?
A McDonald's employee identified Mangione in Pennsylvania, after police found him with items linking him to the murder, including a gun, mask and a handwritten document.
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New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner, Jessica Tisch, publicly thanked the McDonald's employee who got in touch with the force after noticing a man who looked like the suspect.
"The suspect was in a McDonald's and was recognised by an employee who then called local police," she said.
"Responding officers questioned the suspect, who was acting suspiciously and was carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, as well as a US passport."
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Tisch continued: "Upon further investigation, officers recovered a firearm on his person, as well as a suppressor, both consistent with the weapon used in the murder.
"They also recovered clothing, including a mask, consistent with those worn by our wanted individual.
"Additionally, officers recovered a handwritten document that speaks to both his motivation and mindset."
There was also reportedly a 262-word handwritten note found in the suspect's bag at the eatery with a senior law enforcement official claiming to have seen the document, telling The New York Times that the note appeared to show Mangione open up about the shooting.
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"To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone," the suspect reportedly wrote, adding companies that 'continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it'.
He also reportedly wrote that 'these parasites had it coming' and 'I do apologise for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done'.
What do we know about Luigi Mangione?
Mangione attended an all-boys private prep school in Baltimore, graduating as valedictorian in 2016, according to the school’s website.
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In a statement, the Gilman School, called the situation 'deeply distressing'.
He is also reportedly a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a bachelor's and master's degree in computer science.
Some of Mangione's social media profiles provide more information about him.
His Goodreads account shows a positive four-star review for Industrial Society and Its Future by Theodore Kaczynski, which is also known as the Unabomber manifesto. Kaczynski committed bombing attacks in the 1970s, 80s and 90s due to his hatred for 'industrial society and its consequences'.
In his review, Mangione said: "It's easy to quickly and thoughtless[ly] write this off as the manifesto of a lunatic.
"He was a violent individual - rightfully imprisoned - who maimed innocent people.
"While these actions tend to be characterised as those of a crazy luddite, however, they are more accurately seen as those of an extreme political revolutionary."
Mangione’s family, who are reportedly very prominent in the Baltimore area, has also now released a statement following his arrest.
Posted by Mangione’s cousin, Nino, who is a Republican member of the lower house of Maryland’s state legislature, the statement read: "Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione.
"We only know what we have read in the media."
He added: "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."
According to police, he has no prior arrests in New York and his last previous address was in Honolulu, Hawaii.
What has Luigi Mangione been charged with?
Alongside the murder charge, Mangione has also been charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and providing false identification to police.
Topics: Luigi Mangione, US News, Health, Politics, News
Rhiannon Ingle