A New York grand jury has indicted a 26-year-old Ivy League-educated computer programmer, Luigi Mangione, in connection with the ambush murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The incident occurred outside a Manhattan Hilton hotel on the morning of Dec. 4.
Mangione faces a range of charges, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and possession of a forged instrument. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg described the shooting as a 'brazen, targeted, and premeditated' act, supported by surveillance footage showing the masked assailant shooting Thompson in the back before walking away.
After being identified by individuals at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, Mangione was arrested on Dec. 9. He is currently held without bail and has expressed his intention to contest extradition.
Prosecutors have now alleged that the murder was an act of terrorism, citing specific circumstances surrounding the case. Evidence includes a burner phone dropped at the scene, fingerprints on various items, and a ballistic match between Mangione's gun and the rounds that killed Thompson.
Police also discovered that parts of the suspected murder weapon were 3D printed, including the receiver and a suppressor. Additionally, 9mm bullet casings found at the scene were inscribed with the words 'defend,' 'depose,' and 'deny.'
According to authorities, Mangione waited outside the Hilton for approximately an hour before carrying out the attack. Thompson, a 50-year-old executive with a long tenure at UnitedHealth Group, had recently assumed the role of CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021. He leaves behind two children.
