A 26-year-old man has been indicted on first-degree murder charges in connection with the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2023.
Luigi Mangione, who is currently in custody in Pennsylvania on gun and forgery charges, is set to appear in court on Thursday and is expected to waive extradition to New York.
The indictment follows a thorough investigation by the New York Police Department, with Mangione charged with multiple offenses, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and forgery.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg described the crime as a “brazen, targeted, fatal shooting” that was intended to cause terror.
Bragg emphasized that the killing, which occurred in a busy area, was carefully planned to intimidate and shock both residents and tourists in the vicinity.
The crime has been categorized as an act of terrorism, in accordance with a New York state law passed after the September 11, 2001, attacks.
This law allows for crimes to be classified as acts of terrorism when the intent is to intimidate or coerce a civilian population or influence government policy through violence.
In the investigation, authorities received a tip from the FBI’s San Francisco field office regarding a missing person case that bore a resemblance to the Midtown shooter.
The lead was traced back to Mangione, who had been reported missing by his mother in San Francisco on November 18.
According to the NYPD, Mangione waited for over an hour outside the Hilton hotel before ambushing Thompson with three gunshots.
Detectives later found shell casings engraved with the words “defend,” “depose,” and “deny” at the scene. Mangione’s mother, Kathleen Zannino, indicated that while she couldn’t confirm it was her son in the photograph, she felt it was something he might do.
Mangione was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on December 9 after a McDonald’s employee recognized him from wanted posters.
During his arrest, authorities found a ghost gun, a silencer, fake IDs, and a chilling manifesto detailing plans for Thompson’s murder.
The manifesto also mentioned using explosives, a tactic resembling that of domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski, the infamous Unabomber.
New York City officials have condemned Mangione’s actions, with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch calling the murder “cold and calculated” and emphasizing that it put the safety of New Yorkers at risk. Mangione faces life in prison if convicted.
