A horrific occurrence transpired as the CEO of UnitedHealthCare, Brian Thompson, was ruthlessly shot just outside of New York Hilton hotel on December 4th, 2024. Many eyebrows were raised as the murder took place just hours before a scheduled investor meeting, striking a bolt of disturbance into the world of HealthCare and its security and motive.
According to CNN, the prime suspect in this shocking incident is a 26 year old, Luigi Mangione. Authorities identified Mangione using a suppressed firearm, which was caught on CCTV. The 26 year old was taken into custody on December 9th and appears to have been a well-educated individual with both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in software engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Mangione had no criminal record in New York City. He had no criminal record other than the citation for trespassing in Hawaii.
As for the motive of this assassination, authorities found a three-page handwritten document that mainly focused on mentioning the way that many healthcare companies put profit over care in today’s society. The document showed extreme criticism toward healthcare companies, which tied to the suspect’s motivation in the assassination and the mentality that went into the incident. Officers cross-examined Mangione and discovered that a U.S. passport, a firearm suppressor, a gun, and several fake IDs were in his possession. The gun and firearm suppressor are said to be similar to the one that was used in the homicide.
The Star Tribune states that on the book review platform Goodreads, a man by the name of Luigi Mangione left a review on the book “Industrial Society and Its Future” by the infamous domestic terrorist, Theodore “Ted” Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber, who orchestrated a nearly two-decade-long mail bombing campaign targeting individuals associated with modern technology and industrialization.
“He was a violent individual — rightfully imprisoned — who maimed innocent people. While these actions tend to be characterized as those of a crazy luddite; however, they are more accurately seen as those of an extreme political revolutionary,” Mangione wrote.
Thompson was a resident of Maple Grove and lived with his two teenage sons, along with his wife Paulette. He was named CEO of UnitedHealthcare in 2021 and has worked there for a total of 20 years. As the investigation proceeds, UnitedHealthcare has expressed condolences to Thompson’s family and many former colleagues. As many continue to grieve this tragic loss, this cold-hearted killing serves as a reminder for the need of enhanced security measures for public figures.