At around 6:45 A.M. on December 4th, Brain Thompson was walking along a sidewalk on his way to a Hilton Hotel where United Healthcare was planning on hosting its annual investor conference. Brian Thompson was the CEO of United Healthcare’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group.
Suddenly, Thompson was fatally shot, and the shooter fled away.
Almost immediately, authorities rushed out to the scene and discovered that Thompson was deceased. Police quickly found additional ammunition around the scene. On the bullets, the words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose,” were written in black marker. Police also discovered video footage of the suspect who appeared to flee away on bike, foot, and then by bus.
Authorities also discovered a discarded water bottle at the scene. Police who reviewed security video quickly determined that the shooter intended to kill Thompson. They noticed that the shooter specifically appeared to wait for Thompson before approaching him from behind and shooting him multiple times. Many other people passed the shooter and walked around him, so it seems the shooter was specifically after Thomspon.
The FBI called the attack premeditated and preplanned.
Detectives recovered a fingerprint and evidence that was sent for DNA testing. Then, on December 9th at around 9:14 A.M., authorities in Pennsylvania received a tip about a man matching the suspect’s description eating at a public McDonalds. Authorities rushed out and took the person, 26-year-old Luigi Nicholas Mangione, into police custody. Upon being arrested, the suspect was carrying a firearm that’s believed to be the same weapon that was used in the CEO shooting.
Initially, the FBI believed that Thompson was targeted as a personal vendetta tied to the company, but it’s been determined that the suspect wasn’t insured by United Healthcare. It was discovered, however, that the suspect did suffer a painful “life-altering injury” to his back. Police are currently investigating to determine if this back injury played a role in the shooting.
When the suspect was arrested, he was also found to be carrying handwritten documents. In these letters, he reportedly writes, “These parasites simply had it coming,” and he also allegedly wrote about targeting the CEO.
Even more concerning, the suspect appears to have dropped off socially right before the attack. His mother reported him missing on November 18th, two weeks before the killing, because she had not spoken to her son since July. When his phone eventually became disconnected and he stopped posting to social media, his mother was worried something terrible had happened.
Innocent Until Proven Guilty
Despite all the publicity surrounding this case and the alleged evidence collected against the culprit, it’s important to always remember that the suspect is considered innocent until they’re proven guilty.
Like everyone else accused of a crime, this suspect will have the opportunity to defend himself against the charges set forth against him. He should hire an attorney who can help him identify his best path forward. Here at NY Criminal Defense, we can help you determine your best legal options no matter how dire your situation may seem.
Reach out now to discuss your case in more detail with our lawyers.
