At 6:45 AM on December 4, 2024, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was arriving at his company’s annual investors conference when he was unexpectedly and fatally shot outside of the New York Hilton Midtown in Manhattan. This was a targeted attack, with the perpetrator believed to be 26-year-old Luigi Mangione. According to the New York Times, he is now facing 20 total charges from New York, Pennsylvania, and the federal court, including a count of first-degree murder and terrorism.
Mangione was taken into custody on December 9, 2024, after being identified by a customer in a Pennsylvania McDonald’s. At the restaurant, a police search of Mangione’s backpack revealed a gun and suppressor concordant with those used in the assassination, as well as a fake ID used to register into a New York City hostel before the murder.
Police also found a handwritten note, a manifesto expressing “ill will towards corporate America” and frustrations “with the healthcare system in the United States,” as expressed by NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny. Detectives believe that Mangione’s motive lay in hostility towards the healthcare industry, connecting to a serious back injury that he suffered in 2023. With this letter as incriminating evidence, compounded with his fingerprints, weapon, clothing, and fake ID, Mangione is now facing the death penalty if convicted federally. His trial begins in February 2025, although he has already pleaded not guilty to his New York charges.
Brian Thompson’s murder has garnered national attention, sparking widespread coverage and commentary. While numerous people have reached out to UnitedHealthcare, expressing their condolences and sharing positive experiences with the company, thousands on social media have used the situation to voice their frustrations with the healthcare industry. Posts and comments highlight personal experiences with healthcare denials, while others mock the shooting. A UnitedHealth Group Facebook post commemorating Thompson’s death received 62,000 reactions—57,000 being laughing emojis. Similar responses have flooded TikTok and Twitter, with Americans unwilling to express sympathy.
Andrew Witty, the CEO of UnitedHealth Group, has responded to the outlash, sharing, “We know the health system does not work as well as it should, and we understand people’s frustrations with it.” He has also praised Thompson, calling him a “kind man who was working to make healthcare better for everyone.” The company has now been tasked with filling Thompson’s position, although a new CEO has yet to be appointed.
TikTok, too, has been overrun with videos related to Thompson’s death, using footage from Mangione’s arrest and court appearance to make edits. Many of these posts have received over 500,000 likes and have gone viral primarily because TikTok users find Mangione attractive. Some viewers have gone a step further, using the content as a platform to support Mangione himself, urging people to sign petitions about dropping his terrorism charge. These edits have ignited controversy, with others condemning the glorification of Mangione’s actions. “I know that a lot of people have made edits of him [Mangione],” shared Christina Quiroz ‘25. “I find it strange that people justify his actions by his looks.”
As Mangione’s trial plays out in upcoming months, Thompson’s shooting will remain relevant. The media attention surrounding the case and the polarized public reactions will continue to fuel conversations and debates, and the trial will likely have a lasting impact on the public’s perception of justice and accountability in the digital age.
