Luigi Mangione has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, as announced by the New York district attorney on Tuesday. Alongside first-degree murder, Mangione faces two counts of second-degree murder, one of which is classified as an act of “terrorism,” according to District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
“The intent was to sow terror,” Bragg stated, referring to the shooting as a “frightening, well-planned and targeted murder.” Mangione is set to appear in court on December 19 for a hearing regarding his extradition to New York. However, Bragg suggested that Mangione may not contest the extradition, stating, “We have indications the defendant may waive that hearing.”
This hearing coincides with Mangione’s preliminary court proceedings on gun-related charges in Pennsylvania. During a press conference, both Bragg and New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch criticized the public for seemingly glorifying Mangione following the December 4 shooting.
“In the nearly two weeks since Mr. Thompson’s killing, we have seen a shocking and appalling celebration of cold-blooded murder,” Tisch remarked. “We don’t celebrate murders and we don’t lionize the killing of anyone.”
In addition to murder charges, Mangione faces several weapon and forgery charges. Should he be convicted of the most serious offenses—first-degree murder and second-degree murder as an act of terrorism—he could face life in prison without the possibility of parole. When asked about the terrorism charge, Bragg explained, “In its most basic terms, this was a killing that was intended to evoke terror.”
Just days after Thompson’s death, Mangione was apprehended at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, while in possession of a fake ID and a “ghost gun,” according to police. His attorney, Thomas Dickey, has stated he has not seen evidence directly linking Mangione’s weapon to the crime.
New York prosecutors have begun presenting evidence against Mangione to a grand jury. If extradited, the 26-year-old is expected to be housed at Riker’s Island or another prison in New York. Evidence reportedly includes a positive match of Mangione’s fingerprints with those collected from the crime scene, according to Commissioner Tisch.
District Attorney Bragg noted that Mangione arrived in New York City on November 24, staying in a Manhattan hostel under a false identity before carrying out the attack on Thompson ten days later. Upon his arrest, authorities recovered a ghost gun, a fake ID, a passport, and a handwritten note outlining “motivation and mindset.”
During the news conference, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny relayed details of an interaction with Mangione’s mother, who had filed a missing persons report for her son in San Francisco in November. Once the manhunt for the shooting suspect began, this report was flagged to authorities. Although she did not identify her son as the suspect, she expressed that “it might be something that she could see him doing.”
Currently, Mangione is charged in Pennsylvania with forgery, unlawful possession of firearms, tampering with records, possessing instruments of crime, and providing false identification to police. He remains in maximum security at Huntingdon State Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania and has been denied bail.
Credit: BBC News
