UnitedHealthCare CEO Shooting Suspect Charged with Murder as Act of Terrorism
Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of Brian Thompson, has been indicted with 11 counts, including murder in the first degree and two counts of murder in the second degree. The indictment also charges him with weapon and forgery charges.
Prosecutors claimed that Mangione intended to intimidate and “evoke terror” with the killing, which took place outside a UnitedHealthCare building in New York City on December 4. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the shooting a “frightening, well-planned, targeted” crime that “stole a life and put New Yorkers at risk.”
Mangione’s defense team could argue that the reaction following the killing was an unintended consequence and that the original intent was not to spread terror. Legal experts said that the charge of terrorism may be an overreach, as it requires proof of a specific intent.
The indictment also included accusations of online rhetoric and statements praising Mangione, who had garnered widespread support on social media after his arrest. The NYPD reported that a surge in online threats towards executives in the healthcare industry and that some companies experienced an increase in security calls.
Mangione could face a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. His extradition hearing is scheduled for Thursday, and prosecutors will likely focus their case on a written statement found with Mangione that criticizes UnitedHealthCare and the healthcare industry.
In a statement, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said that the killing was “extraordinary” and that the intent was “to evoke terror.” “This was a killing that was intended to evoke terror and we’ve seen that reaction. This was not an ordinary killing,” Bragg added.
The case has attracted widespread attention, with legal experts and critics debating whether the charge of terrorism was an overreach. UnitedHealthCare has said that Mangione was not a client of the company at the time of the killing.