Brian Thompson, the CEO of the American health insurance company UnitedHealthcare, was shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on December 4, 2024. The shooting occurred early in the morning outside an entrance to the New York Hilton Midtown.[5] The suspect, initially described as a white man wearing a mask, fled the scene.[1] The words "delay", "deny", and "depose" were inscribed on the cartridge cases used during the shooting. Thompson had previously faced criticism for the company's rejection of insurance claims, and his family reported that he had received death threats.
On December9, 2024, authorities arrested 26-year-old Luigi Mangione in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and charged him in a Manhattan court with Thompson's killing.[6][7][8] Authorities allege that when Mangione was apprehended, he was carrying a 3D-printed pistol and a 3D-printed suppressor consistent with those used in the attack; a short handwritten letter criticizing the American healthcare system; an American passport; and multiple fraudulent IDs, including one with the same name used to check into a hostel on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.[9][10][11] Authorities also said his fingerprints matched the partial smudged prints that investigators found near the New York shooting scene.[12] Authorities believe Mangione was motivated by "what he perceives as a 'parasitic' health insurance company and industry as a whole, as well as broader objections to corporate greed and a concern for modern society".[13]
Thompson's death received widespread attention in the United States and led to polarized reactions.[19] Several public officials expressed dismay and offered condolences to Thompson's family, while many used the event to call attention to the practices of the US health insurance industry. Opinion polls have shown that a majority of American adult respondents find the killing unacceptable, but with a plurality of younger respondents viewing the killing as acceptable. On social media, reactions to the killing included widespread contempt and mockery toward Thompson and UnitedHealth Group, sympathy and praise for Mangione, and broader criticism of the American healthcare system and health insurance industry–primarily regarding claim denial practices.[20][21]
Background
Thompson and UnitedHealthcare
Brian Thompson
Brian Robert Thompson[22][23] (born July 10, 1974) was the chief executive officer (CEO) of UnitedHealthcare, the insurance arm of UnitedHealth Group, from April 2021 until his death. He had worked for UnitedHealthcare since 2004.[22][23] UnitedHealthcare insures 49million Americans and generated $281billion in revenue for the 2023 fiscal year.[24] Under his leadership, UHC's profits increased from $12billion in 2021 to $16billion in 2023, and his total annual compensation was $10.2 million.[25][26] At the time of Thompson's death, the company was the largest health insurer in the United States.[27]
The suspect arrived in New York City on November24, 2024, on a Greyhound bus. The bus route began in Atlanta, Georgia, but authorities do not know from which city or town he boarded.[31][32] The day of his arrival, he checked into the HI New York City Hostel on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with a falsifiedNew Jersey identification card; he paid for his stay in cash.[33] He stayed at the hostel for all but one night of the 10 days he was in New York City, checking out on December3.[32]
Thompson was in New York City for an annual UnitedHealth Group investors' meeting, having arrived from Minneapolis on December 2, 2024.[34] On December 4, at around 6:45a.m. EST (UTC−5), Thompson was walking along West 54th Street toward the New York Hilton Midtown hotel that was hosting the meeting.[35] The assailant waited across the street from the hotel for several minutes, then crossed over when he saw Thompson.[36][37] Standing approximately 20 feet (6m) away from Thompson when he arrived at the entrance, the assailant fired three times at him from a suppressed 9mm pistol,[38][36][37] striking him in the back and right calf.[35] Three spent bullet casings were found at the scene, along with three ejected live rounds.[39]
CCTV photo released by the NYPD showing the suspect.
November 24 – Suspect checks into the HI New York City Hostel on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. His unmasked face was caught on CCTV during the check-in process. The suspect had two hostel roommates who said he would slip down his mask only when eating.[52]
6:17a.m. – Suspect buys coffee, water, and granola bars at a Starbucks café (at 1380 6th Ave) two blocks away from the New York Hilton Midtown hotel, discarding the coffee cup and water bottle.[54][55][37]
6:30a.m. – Surveillance footage captures the suspect walking while talking on the phone.[31]
6:39a.m. – Suspect arrives in front of the New York Hilton Midtown hotel and waits for several minutes.[37][55]
6:40a.m. – Thompson leaves the Marriott hotel (at 151 W 54th St) he stayed at the prior night, heading toward the New York Hilton Midtown hotel.[35]
6:44a.m. – Thompson walks along the sidewalk toward the New York Hilton Midtown hotel and the assailant shoots him multiple times, racking his pistol after it appeared to jam; the suspect immediately flees northbound via a pedestrian walkway.[37][56]
6:46a.m. – Police respond to a 911 call reporting that a person has been shot.[37]
6:48a.m. – Officers arrive on scene and find Thompson with multiple gunshot wounds to his back and leg; he is taken to the hospital. Assailant is seen riding an electric bicycle north into Central Park.[37][54]
6:59a.m. – A person appearing to be the suspect is seen riding a bike on West 85th St.[35]
Three fired cartridge cases alongside three unfired cartridges were found at the scene.[54] The words "delay", "deny", and "depose" were written on the cases. "Depose" was inscribed on a casing from a round fired into Thompson, while "delay" was marked on an unfired cartridge ejected as the shooter appeared to be clearing a jam.[40][57] The three words are similar to the phrase "delay, deny, defend", a phrase adopted by critics of the American healthcare industry alluding to health insurance companies' efforts to not pay out claims.[58][59] Accordingly, police stated they were investigating whether the words suggest the killer's motive.[40]
A water bottle, candy wrapper, and phone were recovered from the scene and are believed to be connected to the shooter.[60] Police said they believed they found the shooter's backpack in Central Park on December 6, 2024.[61] The backpack contained a Tommy Hilfiger jacket and Monopoly money.[62]
The New York City Police Department offered a reward up to $10,000 for information about the shooter on December 4, 2024.[63] The following day, authorities released images of a suspect taken by surveillance cameras at the hostel and a Starbucks café.[64] Two stills show the suspect's face, including one with him smiling widely at a female desk attendant at the hostel.[65][60] Sources told CBS the front desk worker asked to "see his pretty smile."[66] The FBI joined the investigation and separately offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.[67]
The shooter was described by police as a white man, approximately 6ft 1in (185cm) tall, wearing a light brown or cream-colored hooded jacket, dark pants, and black sneakers with white soles. He had a gray backpack and concealed his face with a black face mask.[36][47][68][69] Police said the suspect appeared to be proficient in the use of firearms[35] and was described as being "extremely camera savvy".[70]
The backpack alleged to be Mangione's, and the gun inside it
Local police in Altoona, Pennsylvania, arrested Mangione on December 9, 2024, at a McDonald's restaurant in the city. An employee there called the police to say that a customer recognized the suspect from images released by the NYPD.[79][80] Altoona is about 280 miles (450km) west of New York City.[74] In his bag they found a 3D-printed gun and a 3D-printed suppressor, which the police said are consistent with the weapon used in the shooting, and a falsified New Jersey driver's license with the same name as the one used by the shooter to check into the Manhattan hostel.[9][81][4][82] The police also said that when they arrested Mangione, they found a three-page,[82] 262-word handwritten document about the American healthcare system, which they characterized as a manifesto.[83]
Mangione hired Karen Friedman Agnifilo, former prosecutor at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and former legal analyst with CNN, as his New York case defense attorney.[89] On December 17, New York prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder as murder committed in furtherance of terrorism.[c][90] This charge and indictment modified the murder charge with which he was already charged, as the charge of murder as an act of terrorism holds more weight than just a simple murder charge.[91][92] He was extradited to New York on December 19 and transferred to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn following his first appearance in the Manhattan federal court.[93][94][95] On December 23, Mangione pleaded not guilty to all New York state charges.[96][97] In addition to the eleven state charges, he faces four new federal charges, including two counts of stalking, a new firearms-related offense, and murder through use of a modified firearm.[14][98] On April 1, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi directed prosecutors to seek the death penalty in the federal case. The state charges carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.[18]
Handwritten letter
Upon Mangione's arrest, police said they found in his possession a 262-word handwritten document, which many media outlets characterized as a "manifesto". According to NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch, the handwritten document spoke to Mangione's "motivation and mindset".[99][100] Journalist Ken Klippenstein published a transcription of the document found on Mangione;[101] According to Newsweek, police confirmed that the transcription was legitimate.[102][103] The document reads as follows:
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 of 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 as [sic] 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 allwed [sic] 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 the corruption and greed (e.g.: Rosenthal, Moore), decades ago and the problems simply remain. It is not an issue of awareness at this point, but clearly power games at play. Evidently I am the first to face it with such brutal honesty.[102]
As of December 2024[update], investigators' theory of Mangione's motive is ill will towards the health insurance industry.[100] Police believe the motive was partially related to an injury that Mangione had suffered that caused him to visit the emergency room in July 2023.[106][100] Mangione wrote online that he had spondylolisthesis, a lower back condition, and posted an x-ray image of a spine with plate and screws.[107][108] Sources told CBS they believed Mangione had resentment towards UnitedHealthcare as well as other health insurance companies.[66] According to UnitedHealthcare, he was not one of their customers.[109] New York Police Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny believes Mangione may have targeted them because of the company's size.[109]
Police believe that Mangione was inspired, in part, by Ted Kaczynski's Industrial Society and Its Future.[110] Mangione's account posted a Goodreads review of Industrial Society and Its Future,[111] describing Kaczynski as "rightfully imprisoned" and was critical of his use of violence against innocent individuals. The review, which gave the manifesto four out of five stars, also contained a quote that the reviewer claimed to have found online. The quote contained the lines "'Violence never solved anything' is a statement uttered by cowards and predators", and "When all other forms of communication fail, violence is necessary to survive."[112][113][114]
A report on the killing by the New York City Police Department's Intelligence & Counterterrorism Bureau[115] was obtained by independent journalist Dan Boguslaw, and published in full by Klippenstein on December 26. The intelligence report focused on Mangione's motive and people who express sympathy for him, whom the bureau labeled as "extremists". The report assessed that Mangione was motivated by "what he perceives as a 'parasitic' health insurance company and industry as a whole, as well as broader objections to corporate greed and a concern for modern society".[13]
Reactions
Public
"Deny Defend Depose" graffiti in New York City, 2024"Deny Defend Depose" and anarchist graffiti in Miami Beach, 2024
Many social media users expressed their contempt for Thompson, UnitedHealthcare, and the nation's health insurance system while expressing sympathy for and praising the assailant for his actions.[117][118][119][120] Social media users shared stories of health insurance claim denials online,[121][122][123] and joked about the killing with memes and gallows humor.[124]NBC News reported that the "main theme animating many of the posts about the Thompson killing was that UnitedHealthcare and other insurance companies harm and kill Americans by denying coverage in the name of profit".[125] One physician told The Daily Beast that they believed the perpetrator should be brought to justice, but they also stated that Thompson's role as CEO had led to a great amount of suffering and loss of life, which he described as "on the order of millions", adding that "[it is] hard for me to sympathize when so many people have suffered because of his company".[126]Internet culture journalist Taylor Lorenz analyzed the responses on social media and wrote on her blog: "No, that does not mean people should murder them. But if you've watched a loved one suffer and die from insurance denial, it's normal to wish the people responsible would suffer the same fate."[127]
According to the Network Contagion Research Institute, since Mangione's arrest, variations of "#FreeLuigi" have been shared over 50,000 times on X. They found that "by some measures", engagement with posts about Thompson's killing on platforms such as X and Reddit "surpassed that of the assassination attempt against Donald Trump in July."[149] The NCRI also found that out of the top ten most-engaged tweets that mention Thompson or UnitedHealth, six of the posts implicitly or explicitly supported the killing or criticized Thompson. Some highlighted comments called for class war.[150]
Zeynep Tufekci, sociologist and columnist for The New York Times, commented: "I’ve been studying social media for a long time, and I can’t think of any other incident when a murder in this country has been so openly celebrated." She further noted, "The concentration of extreme wealth in the United States has recently surpassed that of the Gilded Age", and compared the public reaction to the fatal shooting of Thompson to political violence during that time period, stating that "inequities of the era fueled political movements that targeted corporate titans, politicians, judges and others for violence".[151]Robert Pape, an expert in political violence at the University of Chicago, told The Guardian that the response of online commentators was indicative of Americans' growing acceptance of violence to settle civil disputes.[124]
Crowdfunding
Crowdsourcing fundraisers were also started by supporters of Mangione to cover his legal costs on GoFundMe, before being removed.[152] Other social media users linked Mangione's jail commissary account soliciting donations for "snacks, sodas, an iPad, etc."[153] Thomas Dickey, Mangione's defense attorney, commented on the crowdfunding campaign, saying: "The Supreme Court says all these rich billionaires can give all kind of money to candidates and that's 'free speech,' so maybe these people were exercising their right to free speech and saying that's the way they're supporting my client."[154]
A GiveSendGo fundraiser has remained live[155] raising over US$1.3 million from crowdfunded donations[156] as of the end of October 2025.[157] Several donors have cited the "politicization" of the case and the use of the death penalty, due process, and their frustration with the healthcare system as their reasons for donating.[158][159] On February 14, 2025, Mangione's New York legal defense team created a website to provide information about his cases due to the "extraordinary volume of inquiries and outpouring of support". The site shared an official message from Mangione, who expressed his gratitude for the public's support, stating that "the support has transcended political, racial, and even class divisions".[160][161]
Health insurance corporations
Facebook post from UnitedHealthcare's parent company, UnitedHealth Group, regarding Thompson's death. Though the post's comment section was deactivated, thousands of Facebook users responded to the post with a "Haha" (or "laughing") reaction.
After Thompson's death, UnitedHealthcare's parent company, UnitedHealth Group, published a statement on Facebook detailing the death and their official condolences. Though the post's comment section was deactivated, over 100,000 Facebook users responded to the post with a "Haha" (or "laughing") reaction.[162][125][163] UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty defended the company's claim denial practices in an internal video which was leaked after the fatal shooting of Thompson. Recorded on December 5, the day after Thompson's death, Witty emphasized the company's role in ensuring "safe and appropriate" care and that the insurance giant will continue to prevent "unnecessary care".[citation needed] Two months after the shooting, UnitedHealth hired a defamation law firm to take action against social media posts critical of the company.[164] Prosecutors alleged that the killing had scared 40 UHC executives into hiring bodyguards.[165]
The killing significantly contributed to "months of tumult" at UnitedHealthcare. The public response led to growing negative perceptions of the company, which former chief medical officer Archelle Georgiou said "gets in the way of innovation and collaboration". Since the killing, the company's stock fell from $610 a share to $308.[166] The company faced multiple lawsuits and investigations, had a decrease in profits, and in May, Witty abruptly resigned.[167][168]
UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and CVS Health, which operates Aetna, all removed photographs and other information about their executive leadership from their websites following Thompson's killing.[169][170]Managed care provider Centene cancelled their in-person investor's day which had been scheduled for December 12, and instead planned a virtual conference.[171] The days following Thompson's death saw a surge in inquiries about protective services and security for CEOs and corporate executives, according to private security firm Allied Universal.[172] One former health insurance executive was quoted by the Financial Times as saying that threats against health insurance companies are common, and that "We'd have times when you'd deny proton laser therapy for a kid with seizures and the parent would freak out."[173][125] Michael Sherman, the former chief medical officer at Point32Health, justified the concerns of health insurance executives, saying, "It doesn't seem paranoid to worry that someone who's had services denied that they may believe are important might be in an emotionally unstable state."[124]
Politicians
Several public officials, including Minnesota governor Tim Walz and Senator Amy Klobuchar, expressed dismay and offered condolences to the family; Walz said that he knew Thompson.[174] Maryland state delegate Nino Mangione, cousin of Luigi Mangione, said: "Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi's arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson, and we ask people to pray for all involved".[175]
Outgoing White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the government said that "violence to combat any sort of corporate greed is unacceptable".[176] Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro commented that "Some attention in this case, especially online, has been deeply disturbing, as some have looked to celebrate instead of condemning this killer."[177] At the time President-electDonald Trump also condemned the killing and called celebration of Mangione "a sickness".[178] Outgoing Department of Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that social media rhetoric about the killing was alarming, and that "It speaks of what is really bubbling here in this country, and unfortunately we see that manifested in violence, the domestic violent extremism that exists".[179][180]
California Democratic House representative Ro Khanna said, "There is no justification for violence" and added that the public reaction to Thompson's killing did not surprise him because "We waste hundreds of billions a year on health care administrative expenses that make insurance CEOs and wealthy stockholders incredibly rich while 85million Americans go uninsured or underinsured".[181] Massachusetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren stated, "The visceral response from people across this country who feel cheated, ripped off, and threatened by the vile practices of their insurance companies should be a warning to everyone in the health care system. Violence is never the answer, but people can be pushed only so far."[182] New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said, "This is not to say that an act of violence is justified, but I think for anyone who is confused or shocked or appalled, they need to understand that people interpret and feel and experience denied claims as an act of violence against them."[183] Vermont senator Bernie Sanders condemned the killing, but said the public response showed that many people were angry at health insurance companies and their practices.[184] Oregon senator Ron Wyden commented that "I've long said violence, murder, are always unacceptable, always. But I think that there is a context, you know, here that is hugely important".[185]
Opinion polling
An Emerson College poll surveyed 1,000 American registered voters about the Thompson killing between December 11 and 13, 2024. The poll found that a majority (68%) of voters viewed the actions of the suspected killer as unacceptable. Among young voters aged 18–29, 41% found the killing "acceptable or somewhat acceptable", while 40% in the same age group did not.[186][187]
NORC at the University of Chicago conducted a poll of 1,001 American adults between December 12 to 16. When asked about the factors contributing to Thompson's death, 78 percent of respondents said the killer has "a great deal or a moderate amount of responsibility". A majority of respondents said that denials for health care coverage by insurance companies (69%) or the profits made by health insurance companies (67%) bore a "great deal or moderate amount" of responsibility for Thompson's death. A majority of respondents (53%) also said "wealth or income inequality in general" shared a "great deal or moderate amount" of responsibility for the killing. Young Americans were the age group least likely to say that the killer was responsible for the killing.[188][189]
An Economist/YouGov poll conducted from December 15 to 17 surveying 1,553 U.S. adult citizens found that 43% of American citizens had a "somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable" view of Mangione, while 21% had a "somewhat favorable or very favorable view of him." Mangione received the most support from citizens aged 18–29 and "very liberal" citizens. He was viewed least favorably by citizens aged 65 and older and "very conservative" citizens.[190]
A December 12, 2024, online poll of 1,000 registered voters in the US taken by conservative Republican pollster Scott Rasmussen/RMG Research, Inc. found that 53% of respondents view the Thompson killer as a "villain", while 10% view the killer as a "hero". The poll found that younger voters, Progressive Democrats, "people who talk politics every day", and those with postgraduate degrees were "more likely than others to say that such murder is sometimes justifiable".[191]
The Center for Strategic Politics ran an online poll with 455 American adults on December 11. The poll found that "61% of respondents said they have a strong or somewhat negative perception of Mangione", while 19% had a positive or somewhat positive view. Opinions on Mangione varied "dramatically" by age.[192] The poll also found that young Americans view Mangione "far more favorably" than they viewed Thompson and UnitedHealthcare.[193][194]
A poll of 6,000 U.S. adults was conducted by CloudResearch on December 19, utilizing AI. The poll found that 27% of respondents were sympathetic to Mangione, with 12% supporting the murder. Support for the murder was higher among those under 30 and the political left.[195]
Generation Lab conducted a poll of 1,026 U.S. college students between (2024-December-19) (2024-December-23)December 19–23, 2024. When asked about who they sympathized with more, 45% of respondents said the suspect, 17% said Thompson, and 37% said neither. Most respondents (81%) said they have an extremely or somewhat negative view of Thompson.[196]
USA Today/Suffolk University conducted a poll of over 1,000 registered voters between (2025-January-07) (2025-January-11)January 7–11, 2025. The poll found that almost two-thirds of respondents thought the killing was wrong and that the killer should be prosecuted. Most of the rest agreed that the killing was wrong, but that they understood the killer's anger.[197]
↑Counts of first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism and second-degree murder as a crime of terrorism were dismissed by Judge Gregory Carro on September 16, 2025.[3]
Third-degree criminal possession of a weapon (4 counts)
Fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon
Second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument
123The state of New York defines first- and second-degree murder differently than most states. Usually premeditated murder is first-degree; in New York it is second-degree, with first-degree being reserved for a premeditated murder with one of a list of aggravating factors.[91] The only possibly applicable one in this case is murder committed as an act of terrorism. See Murder in New York law.
↑A senior New York City law enforcement official briefed on the investigation initially stated that shell casings found at the scene had the words "deny," "defend" and "depose" written on them, but police later clarified that it was "delay" and not "defend."[116][40][57]
123Gibbons-Neff, Thomas; Toler, Aric (December 12, 2024). "When a Glock Isn't a Glock: The History of the Pistol Found With Luigi Mangione". The New York Times. Retrieved December 12, 2024. At first glance, the gun in the police photographs — the one the authorities believe Luigi Mangione used to kill the chief executive of UnitedHealthcare — appears to be a Glock-19, a 9-millimeter semiautomatic pistol ...But upon closer inspection, it is clear that the weapon was not factory-made, but was at least partially produced by a 3D printer. ...
"D.A. Bragg Announces Murder Indictment Of Luigi Mangione". Manhattan District Attorney's Office (Press release). December 17, 2024. Retrieved December 19, 2024. Two of the discharged shell casings had the words 'DENY' and 'DEPOSE' written on them, and the word 'DELAY' was written on a bullet, all found at the scene.
↑Newman, Andy (December 5, 2024). "Suspect in Killing of Insurance C.E.O. Is Said to Have Used Fake New Jersey ID". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 8, 2024. Retrieved December 6, 2024. One of investigators' main goals remains finding a surveillance image of the suspected shooter where his face is entirely unobscured, a senior law enforcement official said, describing the man as extremely camera savvy. Even in the pictures released earlier today, the man the police are seeking is wearing a hood.
Marcius, Chelsia Rose (December 10, 2024). "Suspect in C.E.O.'s Killing Fights Extradition to New York". The New York Times. An internal New York Police Department report obtained by The Times walks through parts of the three-page manifesto the suspect had at the time of his arrest and the potential for others to see him as 'a martyr and an example to follow'. The suspect 'appeared to view the targeted killing of the company's highest-ranking representative as a symbolic takedown and a direct challenge to its alleged corruption and "power games", asserting in his note he is the "first to face it with such brutal honesty"', according to the intelligence analysis report drawn up by the Police Department's Intelligence and Counterterrorism Bureau.
↑"UnitedHealth Group". Facebook.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2024. Retrieved December 16, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
