Suspect charged in murder of United Healthcare CEO

Update: 5:15 p.m. ET: Alleged shooter Luigi Mangione struggled with officers Tuesday afternoon as he was led into his extradition hearing, according to the Associated Press. He shouted something unintelligible to reporters, referencing something being an insult to the intelligence of the American people. Inside the hearing, Mangione's attorney told the judge that his client did not agree to waive extradition to New York, instead desiring a hearing on the matter, according to the Associated Press. The judge denied bail after prosecutors said Mangione was too dangerous to release, the AP reported. 

Original story:

Manhattan prosecutors charged alleged shooter Luigi Mangione with second-degree murder and several gun charges, according to CNN. Authorities arrested the 26-year-old in Altoona, Pa. on Monday about five days after United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot in Midtown Manhattan. The alleged shooter is also facing criminal weapons charges out of Pennsylvania, where police are holding him until his extradition back to New York, authorities said.

How was he caught? A McDonald’s employee recognized Mangione from wanted images circulating online and called local police, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a Monday press conference. Authorities found the suspect with a gun and silencer similar to those used in the murder, along with several fake IDs and a passport, the commissioner continued. One of the fake IDs found on Mangione matched the ID used by the shooter at a New York City hostel, Tisch said. Officers also recovered clothing matching the clothing worn in the suspect’s description, along with a three-page handwritten manifesto that spoke to the attacker’s motivation and mindset, authorities added.

What was Mangioni’s motive? Authorities did not release the manifesto but said it held anti-corporate sentiments. Mangione hails from a wealthy Maryland family and received both undergraduate and graduate engineering degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, according to a LinkedIn profile in his name. Mangione worked as a data engineer before mounting last week’s fatal attack, according to the page. The Mangione family released a statement regarding Luigi’s arrest on Monday night, saying they know nothing more than what’s been released in the media. The family is shocked by Luigi’s arrest and asks the public to pray for all parties involved, the statement said. The Baltimore Banner described Mangione’s father as a successful real estate developer and a self-made multimillionaire.

Public dialogue has both praised and censured the accused killer for the shooting, with many viewing Thompson as an avatar for the entire healthcare industry. The public doesn't mourn Thompson's death, but rather mourns the 68,000 Americans that die every year so people like him can become multi-millionaires, Columbia University professor Anthony Zenkus wrote on the day of the shooting. Thoughts and prayers require pre-authorization, wrote Sergei Vidov, the chief executive of a Silicon Valley recovery center. One cartoon claimed to be a live look at Thompson in heaven and showed a man being turned away from the gates after finding out his insurance plan lacked proper coverage. Users are also criticizing the fast-food employee who tipped off the police.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro condemned online users who have praised the murderer’s actions during a separate Monday press conference. It’s disturbing to see a killer publicly hailed as a hero, Shapiro said. Americans killing another human in cold blood is no way to address frustrations over healthcare policy, he continued. Thompson was a father and husband who did not deserve to die, so don’t dehumanize him because of personal grievances with the healthcare system, Shapiro said.

Dig deeper: Read my previous report for more details on the shooting and manhunt.