What we know about Luigi Mangione: Suspected CEO shooter makes first court appearance

Luigi Mangione—the 26-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson earlier this month—was extradited from Pennsylvania to New York on Thursday and made his first appearance in federal court after officials unsealed new charges against him, in addition to the Pennsylvania and New York charges.

What We Know About Brian Thompson’s Murder

Thompson, 50, was the CEO of the health insurance division of the $550 billion UnitedHealth Group and was in New York City for UnitedHealth Group’s investor meeting. He was shot from behind just before 7 a.m. on Dec. 4 outside of the New York Hilton Midtown—where the meeting was being held—and was hit in the back and right calf, after which the suspect fled the area on foot and on an electric bike. A Minnesota resident, Thompson had served as chief executive since April 2021 and had been with UnitedHealth Group since 2004.

A video of the shooting showed the suspect walk out behind Thompson—who did not have a security detail—before firing multiple times. Prior to Mangione’s arrest, police said they believed the shooting was “a brazen targeted attack” and searched New York City before saying they believed the suspect had left the city on a bus. Thompson’s wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News “there had been some threats,” but didn’t provide details on what the threats were. Thompson had two sons, one who just graduated from high school and one still in high school. Police had been searching for the gunman by utilizing diving teams in Central Park, flying helicopters, searching through security cameras in the area, maintaining drones and using dogs. They released several photos of the suspected shooter since Wednesday.

What Do We Know About Luigi Mangione?

Mangione, a Maryland native, was last known to be living in Honolulu, has no prior arrest history in New York or elsewhere in the country, and he may have attended college in Pennsylvania, police said. Social media pages that appeared to be Mangione’s said he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer and information science in 2020, after attending the Gilman School for high school. A LinkedIn page appearing to belong to Mangione describes internships at the Johns Hopkins Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics and Firaxis Games before going on to work as an engineer for TrueCar, a car shopping website based in California, where he’d been employed for several years (the company told the Times he left TrueCar in 2023). The Times also reported Mangione worked as a counselor in the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Studies Program in 2019.

How Was Luigi Mangione Caught?

Tisch said Mangione was recognized in a McDonald’s in Altoona and was reported to local police, who then found he had “multiple fraudulent IDs,” a U.S. passport, a firearm and suppressor similar to what was used in the murder and a “handwritten document that speaks to both his motivation and mindset.” Officers reportedly asked Mangione if he was in New York recently, which resulted in him becoming quiet and shaking, according to a description of his arrest. A man named Larry who said he was a regular at the McDonald’s told Fox News his friend recognized Mangione and said he “looks like the shooter from New York,” but Larry thought he was kidding—“but then as it turned out, it was him.”

Though his face was largely covered in most pictures law enforcement released, officials credited the images that were circulating of Mangione for him eventually being spotted and taken into custody. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said authorities believed Mangione had been all over the state and officials had “already identified businesses, for example, that he frequented in this area and activities that he engaged in.” A hotel clerk in Altoona told ABC News that Mangione tried to get a room at the hotel—which is about a 17-minute walk from McDonald’s—the morning he was arrested, but the hotel didn’t have any clean rooms, so Mangione, who the clerk described as “cagey, just looking around, making sure he wasn’t being watched,” was turned away.

What Is The Federal Case Against Mangione?

Prosecutors unsealed federal charges—including stalking, murder and using a silencer in a crime of violence—against Mangione on Dec. 19. Mangione faces four federal counts: murder through use of a firearm, two stalking charges and a firearms offense, CNN reported. The charges were brought by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Southern District of New York and it could be a way for prosecutors to seek the death penalty, which is not an option in the state charges against him.

Was Luigi Mangione Reported Missing?

Mangione’s mother, Kathleen Mangione, reported him missing to the San Francisco police in November. According to the San Francisco Standard, the missing person report was filed on Nov. 18 although it is unclear if Mangione was supposed to be present in the city when his mother filed the report. Although he was born and raised in Maryland, officials said Mangione had “ties to San Francisco” and most recently resided in Honolulu.

Did San Francisco Police Tip Off New York Police About Mangione?

Yes. Police said prior to his arrest that Mangione was not on any list, but the San Francisco Chronicle reported that city’s police recognized Mangione—who they were investigating as a missing person—and gave the FBI his name on Dec. 5, one day after the shooting. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny confirmed in a press conference announcing Mangione’s indictment on Dec. 17 that the SFPD had told New York officials Mangione resembled the suspect, and Kenny said the NYPD reached out to Mangione’s mother to vet the tip on Dec. 7. When contacted by them, Kathleen Mangione “didn’t indicate that it was her son in the photograph,” but said, “it might be something she could see him doing,” according to Kenny.

What Has Luigi Mangione Been Charged With?

In New York, he faces one count of first-degree murder in furtherance of an act of terrorism, two counts of second-degree murder (due to alleged terrorism and intentionality), seven weapons possession-related charges and one charge of possessing a forged instrument due to an alleged fake ID. Mangione was also initially charged in Pennsylvania with forgery, carrying firearms without a license, tampering with records or identification, possessing instruments of a crime and providing false identification to law enforcement. He was ordered in his arraignment on Dec. 9 night to be held without bail, and has been placed in a single cell at the “maximum custody level,” Maria Bivens, press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, told CNN.

Where Is Mangione Being Held?

After his federal hearing in New York on Dec. 19, Mangione was reportedly taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, which is the only federal prison in New York City. It is also where Sean “Diddy” Combs is being held while he awaits trial in his federal sex trafficking case.

What Has Luigi Mangione’s Lawyer Said About The Case?

Thomas Dickey told reporters he had been hired to represent Mangione in this case but refused to disclose if Mangione’s family was paying to retain his services. In an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, he said he had not seen any evidence that the police have arrested the right guy in this case, adding that the New York officials requesting Mangione’s extradition will have to convince him.

Dickey also disclosed that several people had emailed his staff offering to foot Mangione’s legal bills, but said while his “client appreciates the support that he has,” he “probably wouldn’t” accept the offers. In a CNN interview on Dec. 11, Dickey questioned the evidence police had against Mangione—specifically the ballistics and fingerprint evidence—saying those two forms of evidence have “come under some criticism in the past, relative to their credibility, their truthfulness, their accuracy.”

What’s Known About Luigi Mangione’s Alleged Ghost Gun?

A description of Mangione’s arrest notes officers found a 3D-printed pistol and 3D-printed silencer in his backpack. The pistol was loaded with a Glock magazine containing six nine-millimeter full metal jacket rounds. A loose nine-millimeter hollow point round was also found in the backpack. Authorities have said the gun and silencer are consistent with the firearm used in the shooting of Thompson.

Have Police Named A Motive?

Police have not named a formal motive in the killing of Thompson—but have suggested Mangione had issues with the insurance industry. Officers found three 9mm rounds at the scene and bullet casings had the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose” on them, which echo a phrase commonly used to criticize tactics insurance companies use to reject claims. At a Dec. 9 press conference, Kenny said a three-page handwritten manifesto found on Mangione when he was arrested is in the possession of Altoona police, but “it does seem that he has some ill will toward corporate America.” Kenny also said there were no other “specific threats” to people in the document. Citing an unnamed law enforcement official, the Associated Press reported that in the document mentioned Mangione admitted to working alone, stating: “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone.” The note added, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.”

What Has The Response To Luigi Mangione Been Online?

There has been a flood of people supporting Mangione on social media platforms, with some offering to pay his bills and a number of GoFundMe campaigns popping up to offer financial support (though GoFundMe told Fox Business the fundraisers violated policy, were removed and donors were reimbursed). Some social media users have commented on his physical appearance and called him a hero, and accounts providing updates on Mangione have popped up on sites like X, formerly known as Twitter. On Dec. 10,

The Cut reported “Mangione merch is everywhere” and The Washington Post reported merchandise with the words reportedly found on the bullet casings found at the scene was being sold on sites like Amazon and Etsy, though much of it was later removed. An assistant professor at Mangione’s alma mater received backlash after calling Mangione the “icon we all need and deserve” on Instagram and saying in a TikTok she had “never been prouder to be a professor” at the University of Pennsylvania, USA Today reported. The professor, Julia Alekseyeva, later apologized, but at least one lawmaker has called on the university to fire her, Fox News reported on Dec. 12.

One expert in social media told The New York Times the response supporting Mangione was “organic” as “people are legitimately actually pissed off at the health care industry, and there is some kind of support for vigilante justice.” On Dec. 11, the NYPD’s deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner said the impact of the situation is “similar to that of a domestic terror attack,” adding: “That is already being reflected in this torrent of online vitriol that we’ve been in the midst of since last Wednesday and the lionization of the alleged perpetrator of the murder as a hero.”

What We Know About An Online Fundraiser For Mangione’s Legal Defense

An online fundraiser on GiveSendGo to cover Mangione’s legal defense costs has raised more than $140,000 as of early Dec. 17. The fundraiser and accompanying messages further highlight the support the alleged shooter has gained online. Several donations on GiveSendGo have been accompanied by messages from people expressing anger about the U.S. healthcare system and health insurers. One message from an anonymous donor who gave $100 read: “Luigi has shone a light on an important social issue.

Healthcare insurers have been killing people for years with their policies. Why aren’t they charged with murder?” The group raising the funds identifies itself as the “December 4th Legal Committee” and it doesn’t appear to have any affiliation with Mangione. In a Dec. 11 update, the fundraising group said it had written to Mangione informing him about the money raised for his legal defense and added if he doesn’t want the funds, they will be put “toward the defense of other political prisoners.”

What Do We Know About Luigi Mangione’s Life At Penn?

Mangione graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020 with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer and information science, according to social media accounts appearing to belong to him and the university’s alumni database. The Daily Pennsylvanian—Penn’s student newspaper—reported that Mangione founded the school’s Game Research and Development Environment club and that he was inducted into the Eta Kappa Nu honor society for excellence in electrical and computer engineering before graduating in 2020. A post on an Instagram account seeming to belong to him as well shows him affiliated with the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi.

What Do We Know About Luigi Mangione’s Time At The Gilman School?

Mangione attended the prestigious, all-boys K-12 Gilman School in Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated in 2016 as the valedictorian. The New York Times reported his valedictorian speech described his class as “coming up with new ideas and challenging the world around it.” Mangione reportedly wrestled and played soccer while he was a student there and was captain of the school’s robotics team. A number of Mangione’s former classmates from the Gilman School told CBS News he was a “nice” kid, and one former classmate told The New York Times Mangione was “a big believer in the power of technology to change the world.” The Gilman School lists its tuition for 2024-25 high school students as $37,690 and describes its mission as working to “unlock the greatness within each boy by educating the entire boy — mind, body, and spirit.”

What Do We Know About Luigi Mangione’s Time In Hawaii?

In Honolulu, where police said Mangione’s last known address was, he was a member of a co-working space called Hub Coworking Hawaii, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. Mangione would reportedly come and work at the location with his roommates from a nearby co-living space called Surfbreak. On its website, Surfbreak describes itself as a “co-living and co-working community for digital nomads and remote workers.” Surfbreak founder and CEO R.J. Martin expressed shock about Mangione’s arrest and told the Honolulu Civil Beat, “I loved this guy…In some ways I feel like my members are my kids.”

According to the report, other residents of the co-living space described Mangione as a “natural leader” and said he helped found a book club in the community. Martin and another resident told the outlet that they had suggested the book club should read “Industrial Society and Its Future”—a book written by Unabomber Ted Kaczynski—as “a joke.”

What Did Mangione Say About The Unabomber’s Book?

A Goodreads account seeming to belong to Mangione gave the book a four-star review in January. The review written by the account—which was made private on Monday—said “It’s easy to quickly and thoughtless write this off as the manifesto of a lunatic, in order to avoid facing some of the uncomfortable problems it identifies. But it’s simply impossible to ignore how prescient many of his predictions about modern society turned out.”

The review also quoted another person’s take about how “violence is necessary to survive.” The New York Times reported Tuesday that Mangione told a writer in England, Gurwinder Bhogal, he disapproved of the Unabomber’s actions, but Bhogal said Mangione “was fascinated by [the Unabomber’s] ideology, and shared his concerns about rampant consumerism gradually eroding our agency and alienating us from ourselves.”

Are Mangione’s Social Media Accounts Still Up?

Shortly after his arrest, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X and Goodreads accounts that may have belonged to him were discovered. He also appeared to be active on Reddit, writing about back pain issues, Forbes reported. Nearly all social media accounts with reported ties to Mangione had been switched to private or taken down by platforms—with one notable exception. Mangione’s account on X was briefly taken down the evening of Dec. 9, but X owner Elon Musk said it was done “without his knowledge” and he was looking into it. Shortly after, the account was reinstated. Mangione’s X account—which has a cover photo featuring an apparent spinal injury—had more than 459,000 followers as of Dec. 17 and was given a blue checkmark on Dec. 10.

Did Luigi Mangione Have A Youtube Account?

A YouTube account with Mangione’s name posted a video on Dec. 9 that said “If you see this, I’m already under arrest” and had a countdown that ended by hinting at more information or videos to be released Dec. 11. But, YouTube confirmed to Forbes the page was not associated with Mangione, saying “the channel’s metadata was updated following widespread reporting of Luigi Mangione’s arrest, including updates made to the channel name and handle.” YouTube added it terminated three other accounts that were linked to Mangione, but said they hadn’t been active in more than seven months.

What Do We Know About Mangione’s Health Issues?

Mangione’s friends in Hawaii told various news outlets that he was suffering from a serious back problem that caused him significant pain. Mangione left Hawaii to get back surgery last year and then returned to Honolulu to rent an apartment. Surfbreak’s Martin told The New York Times that Mangione said his spine was misaligned and “said his lower vertebrae were almost like a half-inch off, and I think it pinched a nerve.” Martin added that Mangione had confided to him about not being able to date people because of his back problem as “being physically intimate with his back condition wasn’t possible.”

Martin told the Times he texted Mangione after his surgery asking how it had gone and got the response “long story” without further details. Although the two had promised to catch up over the phone later, Mangione eventually went “radio silent.” An account on Reddit that is believed to have belonged to Mangione was active in the subreddit “r/spondylolisthesis,” where people discussed the condition in which vertebrae in the spine slip out of place. “When my spondy went bad on me last year (23M) it was completely devastating as a young athletic person,” the alleged Mangione account wrote, Forbes reported. On Dec. 12, Kenny also told NBC New York it seems Mangione’s “life-changing, life-altering injury … may have put him on this path,” the station reported.

Was Luigi Mangione Insured By Unitedhealthcare?

The company says no. UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of UnitedHealthcare, told multiple outlets there is no record of Mangione ever being insured by the company. Kenny told NBC News in New York on Dec. 12 that authorities “have no indication that he was ever a client of UnitedHealthcare,” but he did mention it is one of the largest corporations in America and that could be a possible reason for him to target Thompson and UnitedHealthcare.

What Is Known About The Mangione Family?

The Baltimore Banner reported Mangione comes “from a prominent Baltimore family.” According to the Banner, his grandfather was a self-made real estate developer who owned country clubs, nursing homes and a radio station, and that his grandmother was “a supporter of the Greater Baltimore Medical Center” and the Baltimore Opera Company. The Mangione family has owned Hayfields Country Club in Hunt Valley, Maryland—northwest of the city of Baltimore—since 1986, according to the Banner.

Who Is Nino Mangione?

Luigi Mangione is related to Nino Mangione, a Republican representative in the Maryland House of Delegates, The Baltimore Sun reported on Dec. 9. The Sun reported the two are cousins who are friends on social media. A statement issued on his social media accounts on behalf of the Mangione family said they could not comment on the news reports. “We only know what we have read in the media,” the statement read, continuing: “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.”