What was Luigi Mangione's motive to murder Brian Thompson? A look inside United Healthcare CEO's shooting

According to reports, Luigi Mangione's motive to murder Brian Thompson was rage toward the health insurance industry, particularly UnitedHealthcare. The twenty-eight-year-old reportedly saw killing the United Healthcare CEO as a way to show "corporate greed."

Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, an American health insurance company, was shot dead on December 4, 2024. The incident happened at the entrance of the New York Hilton Midtown hotel in New York City.

While Luigi Mangione ran away from the scene, the officers found messages criticizing the health insurance industry on the bullet casings. Mangione was later taken into custody on December 9 in Pennsylvania after they found him at a McDonald's restaurant. He was reportedly twenty-six years old at the time of arrest.

More on the story below.

Why did Luigi Mangione shoot Brian Thompson?

Luigi Mangione was held by the police almost a week after Brian Thompson was shot dead. During his arrest on December 9, 2024, in Altoona, Pennsylvania, police also found a notebook, which was red in color. The notebook contained personal notes that explained his alleged reason for killing Brian Thompson.

A diary entry from August 2024, as reported by CNN, reads:

"I finally feel confident about what I will do. The details are coming together. And I don’t feel any doubt about whether it’s right/justified. I’m glad-in a way-that I’ve procrastinated bc it allowed me to learn more about [UnitedHealthcare]."

He added in his notebook that his goal was insurance companies, and he believed it fit all the reasons for his plan. This was written around four months before he shot Brian Thompson.

In another note written in October 2024, he wrote about an investor meeting that was supposed to be held about a month and a half later, which he saw as a big opportunity. He continued by adding that it showed what he thought was wrong with the health system, and he believed people would understand his message clearly.

As per his notes, he also felt that in most big protest actions, ordinary people didn't understand the real message. He added that he wasn't using a bomb to destroy the place, as it would hurt people who were not involved.

In the diary entries, he expressed his anger at the health insurance companies along with his plan of attack. The notes also showed that he wanted people to talk about the case and support his actions after the attack.

How did Luigi Mangione carry out the Brian Thompson shooting?

As per the reports, United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot on a crowded street in Manhattan while he was heading to a hotel for his company's investor meeting. Mangione reportedly mentioned an investor meeting in his notebook in October that was supposed to take place in December.

He carried out the shooting on December 4 in New York City using a handgun. After the incident, officers were assigned to guard the company offices, and many executives were given protection after threats were reported.

According to Mangione's statement in court, he did not commit the crimes he is being charged with.

Trending

Also Read: Mackenzie Shirilla disciplinary reports: A complete breakdown of prison conduct violations

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback