Who is Luigi Mangione? What to know about ‘person of interest’ in CEO shooting
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Authorities have pinpointed a "significant person of interest" in connection with the deadly shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside his hotel in Manhattan early last Wednesday morning.
As the search for Thompson's killer entered its sixth day, law enforcement made significant progress in the investigation on Monday. A staff member at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, noticed 26-year-old Luigi Mangione dining in the restaurant that morning and believed he resembled the suspect depicted in the surveillance images.
On December 5, just a day after the deadly shooting, the NYPD made public clear images of the suspect. They also searched a hostel in Manhattan's Upper West Side, where the suspect had been staying, as well as Central Park, where a backpack belonging to the suspect was found.
Over the weekend, law enforcement shared more security footage showing a person of interest in the back of a taxi.
The NYPD has announced a reward of $10,000 for any information about the person responsible for the shooting. Additionally, the FBI has stepped in, providing a further $50,000 reward for tips that result in an arrest and conviction.
Here’s what we currently know about the individual who is of interest:
Tip From Public Guides Police To PA Location
On Monday, law enforcement acted on a lead provided by a McDonald’s worker in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The employee reported seeing a man who resembled the individual that the police have been looking for.
According to the police, Mangione was dining at McDonald’s when an employee recognized him.
The police officers showed up at the restaurant and started asking Mangione questions.
The police inquired whether the man had visited New York lately, and in response, he fell silent and began to tremble, as stated in a subsequent criminal complaint against the 26-year-old.
Authorities took Mangione into custody after he presented a counterfeit ID. Additional inquiries and a search by the police uncovered that he had a ghost gun, which is thought to be the same weapon used in the targeted murder, officials disclosed during a press briefing on Monday.
The individual in question was found with a silencer for the firearm and multiple counterfeit identification cards, one of which was a New Jersey ID that the NYPD suspects was utilized by the shooter.
New York Mayor Eric Adams announced that the individual arrested fits the description of the person seen in the photographs and was found with belongings related to the murder.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced that Mangione has been taken into custody on gun-related charges.
During the press conference, she mentioned that he is seen as “our key suspect.” She attributed the arrest to a mix of traditional investigative methods and modern technology, along with assistance from the community.
"We must always recognize the value of the public as our observers and informants,” she remarked.
Pennsylvania Charges Foreshadow New York Case
Following his arrest, Mangione faced charges and appeared in court for five state crimes, which included forgery, misidentifying himself, and unlawfully carrying a firearm.
On Monday, he briefly showed up in a courtroom in Blair County, Pennsylvania, where he was informed about the charges he faces, and he acknowledged that he understood them.
Officials mentioned on Monday that he has not yet entered a formal plea concerning the allegations.
"He was cooperative at first, but that’s no longer the case," stated Lieutenant Colonel George Bivens of the Pennsylvania State Police during a press conference on Monday. "He has been formally charged and moved to a secure location while we prepare to file further charges in New York."
Authorities anticipate that a murder charge will be brought against Mangione in New York within the next few hours or days.
Officials Call UnitedHealthcare Killer 'No Hero'
Authorities stated that if Mangione is indeed the shooter who injured Brian Thompson, his behavior should not be celebrated at all, even though many social media users are hailing the act of vigilantism.
"Brian Thompson was a dad to two children. He was a husband and a friend to countless people. He also served as the CEO of a health insurance firm," Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro stated to the press on Monday.
"In the United States, we don't take lives in a brutal manner to settle disagreements over policies or to convey an opinion."
Person Of Interest Went Unnoticed By All
Joseph Kenny, the head of detectives at the NYPD, stated that the police were unaware of Mangione's identity until Monday.
He grew up in Maryland and recently lived in Honolulu, Hawaii. He also has connections to San Francisco.
Kenny mentioned that authorities think Mangione was supposedly working by himself.
During a press conference, Kenny stated that authorities discovered a three-page manifesto in Mangione's belongings at the time of his arrest, indicating that he harbors a negative sentiment towards corporate America.
Tisch mentioned that the handwritten note reflects his drive and way of thinking.
According to CNN, which referenced a police official who reviewed the document, it allegedly stated, "these parasites deserved it" and "I’m sorry for any pain and suffering caused, but it was necessary."
At the moment, it is being held by the Altoona police.
Valedictorian Of All-Boys School, Ivy League Grad
Mangione went to the Gilman School, a private all-boys institution in Baltimore, where he graduated as valedictorian in 2016, as reported by The New York Times.
The annual tuition fee for the school is $37,690.
Mangione delivered a talk in which he characterized his class as a group that generates fresh concepts and questions the existing conditions of the world.
The school's leader, Henry P.A. Smyth, expressed in a statement: "This is incredibly troubling news added to an already difficult situation. We extend our thoughts and support to all those impacted."
Based on the LinkedIn profile that seems to belong to him, Mangione holds both a bachelor's and a master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
A Facebook profile that matches the name of the person you're curious about provides a window into their life. You can see snapshots of them with friends on beaches in Mexico, discovering the coast of California, and attending soccer games.
According to the Baltimore Banner, Mangione comes from a well-known family in the Baltimore region.
His grandfather, Nicholas Mangione Sr., who has passed away, was involved in real estate and owned various properties including country clubs, nursing homes, and a radio station. His grandmother, Mary, who is also deceased, supported organizations like the Catholic Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Greater Baltimore Medical Center, the former Baltimore Opera Company, and the Walters Art Museum.
According to the Banner, Maryland state delegate Nino Mangione is related to the individual who has been taken into custody.
"Person Of Interest Rates Unabomber's Manuscript ⭐⭐⭐⭐"
Earlier this year, Mangione seemed to have posted a favorable review of the Unabomber’s manifesto online, referring to the perpetrator as a “political revolutionary.”
A profile with that name on the book review site Goodreads, which also features images of the suspect from various social media sites, rated Ted Kaczynski's book with four stars in January.
"It’s obvious that this was penned by a math genius. It comes across like a collection of statements addressing the issue of quality of life in the 21st century," the review states.
"It’s tempting to dismiss this as the rantings of a madman to avoid confronting some of the difficult issues he raises. However, it’s hard to overlook how accurate many of his predictions about contemporary society have proven to be," the review goes on to say.
"He was a person with a violent nature — justly incarcerated — who harmed innocent individuals. While many may describe his actions as those of a deranged rebel against modern technology, it’s more precise to view him as a radical political revolutionary," the review from an account named after Mangione goes on to say.
Culling Through Hundreds Of Hours Of Footage
During the press conference, Kenny mentioned that investigators sifted through countless hours of footage from various sources to uncover the key image that connected them to the individual they were focusing on.
The NYPD promptly released surveillance photos of the suspect, who was shown without a mask and smiling, just one day after Thompson was shot and killed.
It was revealed that the sharp surveillance footage showing the person of interest smiling was captured during a playful interaction with a female staff member at the hostel where he allegedly stayed.
"They were sharing a playful interaction when he leaned in closer and flashed a big grin. That casual exchange between the two people has turned out to be the most important piece of evidence in the entire case so far," said John Miller, the former NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism, in an interview with CBS News last week.
During the weekend, law enforcement shared a fresh photo of a person of interest seen in the backseat of a taxi while wearing a mask.
Ghost Gun Discovered During Arrest Of Suspect
Authorities seized a ghost gun while apprehending a person of interest, and the firearm may have been produced using a 3D printer.
Kenny mentioned that the firearm can shoot a 9mm bullet.
Adams stated that the firearms pose a significant risk and emphasized the need for greater actions at the national level to limit their accessibility.
Kenny mentioned that ballistics analysis will find out if the gun was the one involved in the shooting that occurred last week.
