On Dec. 4 the collective nation was shocked at the assassination of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Videos of the killing spread across the world showing a premeditated, calculated and extremely public murder of the 50 year old by a man who went unidentified up until Dec. 4 when 26 year old Luigi Mangione was arrested on strong suspicion in Pennsylvania.

The murder took place in front of the Hilton Hotel in New York City at around 6 a.m. on Dec. 9 and left police and onlookers alike baffled. The suspect seemed composed, even clearing a jam in his weapon during the act, before escaping on a bike and shaking police search in Central Park.

The manhunt caught immediate media attention with United Healthcare being one of the largest insurance providers in the nation. It was clear that the killing was a premeditated one intending to send some kind of message. Police discovered the words “Deny, defend, depose” written on each of the 3 bullets fired in the murder, as well as a bag left in Central Park by the killer containing monopoly money but otherwise little evidence. A snapshot of the then unidentified killer in a nearby Starbucks coffee shop surfaced and by then it was only a matter of time.

On Dec. 9 Pennsylvania police received a call from a McDonalds employee claiming she saw someone that looked like the shooter. When the suspect was arrested he was allegedly in possession of a “ghost gun” (3D printed weapon), multiple fake IDs, a U.S. passport, clothes matching that of the shooters and a handwritten manifesto detailing his qualms with the healthcare industry; all leading to his arrest on gun and fraudulent document charges in Pennsylvania. Police said the suspect became “visibly nervous” when they asked if he had recently been to New York.

The suspect identified himself as 26 year old Luigi Mangione and has since been extradited to and charged with murder in New York along with other gun/forging of documents related charges. With the sensationalized nature of the case, many have been left wondering who exactly Luigi Mangione is and it hasn’t taken much time to find out thanks to his digital footprint.

Mangione was an Ivy League student and high school valedictorian who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2020 after being a teaching assistant and by all accounts a model academic. A particular point of interest for many online has been his Goodreads account, which shows he was an avid reader and an alarmingly big fan of the manifesto of terrorist Ted Kaczynski, the radical environmentalist known more by his press-given nickname “The Unabomber.”

In unsettling contrast to what he would do on Dec 4, his last liked quote on Goodreads was this Dr. Suess attributed quote from The Lorax:

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

The words on the bullets, the 3D printed weapon, escape plan, fake IDs, passport, manifesto; one could say his glowing review of the Unabomber’s manifesto is ironic given that the two have so many similarities. Both are highly intelligent killers who commit their crimes on the ground of radical activism; and after some discoveries made online it has become apparent that both are disturbed.

Mangione had struggles with mental health, with some of the books on his Goodreads account about mental illness and posts from his since deleted social media accounts indicating problems with anxiety. Social posts also detailed stress caused by a back surgery; a surgery which his friends allegedly have since said he “disappeared” after. Friends of Mangione also shared that they had attempted to reach out to him but “haven’t heard from him in months.”

It is important to understand that this murder was not one of passion or a blind rage. Why Mangione has such strong feelings about the health insurance industry in America and why specifically he targeted Thompson is thus far unknown, but all things considered, it is clear as day that this murder was a premeditated one meant to send some kind of message.

The following is a part of his alleged manifesto that has been released to the public.

“To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone. This was fairly trivial: some elementary social engineering, basic CAD, a lot of patience. The spiral notebook, if present, has some straggling notes and To Do lists that illuminate the gist of it. My tech is pretty locked down because I work in engineering so probably not much info there. I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming. A reminder: the US has the #1 most expensive healthcare system in the world, yet we rank roughly #42 in life expectancy. United is the [indecipherable] largest company in the US by market cap, behind only Apple, Google, Walmart. It has grown and grown, but has our life expectancy? No, the reality is, these [indecipherable] have simply gotten too powerful, and they continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it. Obviously the problem is more complex, but I do not have space, and frankly I do not pretend to be the most qualified person to lay out the full argument. But many have illuminated corruption and greed (e.g.: Rosenthal, Moore), decades ago and the problems simply remain.”

The most fascinating part of this case is the uproar in favor of the shooter. Mangione’s act has garnered him what some might call “a following” of Americans with a similar disdain for the health insurance system. The receptiveness for such violent forms of protest is alarming, but certainly not surprising after a similar reaction for the attempted assassination of Donald Trump this past July. Another similarity is conspiracy, like how many speculated Trump’s assassination was staged. Some theorize that Mangione is a fall guy; that perhaps his manifesto was written by police in order to frame him and avoid some sort of inspiration, though no real evidence of this has been found. Mangione has garnered so much support from the public that some have been left wondering how effective a trial by jury will really be.

What can be said about the American political climate after this action? What can be said about Americans’ attitude towards assassination and radicalism and how it contrasts their attitude before? What can be said about Luigi Mangione?

That all remains to be seen as the story continues to develop. Mangione’s family recently took to a public forum to offer prayers for Brian Thompson’s family while also asking for prayers for everyone involved in the case, including Mangione. Mangione is currently being held in New York and saw his first court appearance on December 10th. While entering the courthouse he yelled to the collective press waiting for his arrival while struggling against the police attempting to escort him inside.

“It’s completely out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people and their lived experience!”

In his first court appearance, Mangione appeared composed. After some discussion about his recent back surgery allegedly arose in court, some speculate that Mangione’s disdain for the healthcare industry comes from a mishandling of his personal situation. Other rumors about a grandparent who’s claim for life saving care was denied have circulated the internet but nothing has yet been confirmed publicly by the man himself.

Regardless; The nation lies in wait for a straight answer as to Mangione’s motive and continue researching him trying to find the domino that knocked him towards such a drastic and violent result.