On Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 6:40 am the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was fatally shot while he was walking in front of the Hilton Midtown Hotel. Thompson was on his way to an investors’ conference when his attacker fired several rounds before he fled by bike into Central Park. 

The suspect had been in New York since late Nov. 24 where he checked into the HI New York City Hostel where he lived for 2 days with roommates who recall never truly seeing his face because of a mask he was wearing, NBC news said based off what the police told them. There is a brief moment when he pulls down his mask and smiles at an employee before checking out. Police believe that later that same day he checked back into the same Hostel. 

On Dec. 4 early in the morning, the shooter is caught by cameras leaving the Hostel where he goes into Starbucks and purchases a water bottle and a granola bar then discards them into the trash before heading over to the Hilton. He is then seen on camera fatally shooting Thompson, His gun had a suppressor, according to a senior police officer the bullet casings had the words “delay,” “deny” and “dispose”.

Police believe he managed to flee New York by bus. . Over the following week of the shooting, police managed to find varying items left by the suspect, such as his backpack, which held monopoly money, and a sweatshirt. There are photos of police scouring a pond, however, it’s unclear if they found anything or what they were looking for because that information was not released. The police also released photos of the suspect, such as one where he’s seen looking through 2 panels of glass in the back of a cab. 

Yesterday, Dec. 9 at 9:14 am police were sent to Altoona Pennsylvania on a call about a suspect who matched the suspects description. He was taken into custody to wait for questioning. Officers asked him if he had recently been to New York, “He became visibly nervous, kind of shaking at that question, and he didn’t really answer it directly,” said Altoona Deputy Police Chief Derek Swope. 

He was identified as 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, an Ivy League graduate, valedictorian, and honors roll student. He was found with a fake license, clothes matching the images of the suspect, and a “ghost gun” Which police are saying they believe he 3D printed. 

Once NYPD officers arrived to question Mangine, they identified that the gun and suppressor was the same as the gun used by the killer and his fake new jersey ID was the same one he used to check into the Hostel. Police said he was using a “signal-blocking bag” and laying low to avoid surveillance. 

On Monday Mangione was charged with 5 counts in Pennsylvania; Forgery, firearms not to be carried without a license, possessing instruments of crime, and false identification to law enforcement. Mangione originally was being cooperative with authorities; he later was seen being more hostile. 

At an extradition proceeding (meaning the request of having Mangione removed from Pennsylvania jurisdiction to New York for criminal prosecution), he was denied bail. Mangione is fighting the extradition, giving Pennsylvania 30 days to secure a warrant from New York Gov. Kathy Hochul.  

Thomas Dickey, a defense attorney has bought Mangione 14 more days to make a better argument because he claims that, “New York did not provide the defense with the official second-degree murder charges” 

Before his arrest family members and old friends of Mangione tried reaching out to him through social media. Some say he became distant over several months and isolated himself more. 

People who have been following his case through social media, news reports and hearing it from others have started to take the side of Mangione. There are thousands of comments under posts of him being escorted by police saying things like, “He was with me he’s innocent” “Let him go” “He’s too pretty for jail” and “I just want to talk with the person who snitched”. Many people have taken his side to the extreme by agreeing with the murder of Thompson and saying it was justified and deserved. The employees who called the police about seeing Mangione are worried for their safety and have gotten more security because they are receiving threats. 

It’s fair to say Mangione’s actions have had a significant impact on the community. Even though there are many in support of Thompson’s death and what it represents, it’s important to remember that he was still a human who now has people grieving over the loss of a brother, father, husband, and child.