Luigi Mangione's Assassination of Brian Thompson
I’ve been following the story of Luigi Mangione, who is the leading suspect in the assassination death of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, on Sixth Avenue in New York City. I lived in NYC for about 30 years, so I feel a connection to all this via that place.
As of today, December 12, 2024, the evidence against Mangione seems to be building. The latest thing is that they found his finger prints at the crime scene. It appears that on the morning of December 4th, Mangione stepped out from between two cars and shot Thompson in the back after he walked by. This happened at 6:45 a.m. in the morning. As of this writing, it is still unknown how Mangione knew that Thompson would be walking by at that moment, especially since the investors’ meeting Thompson was attending started an hour or two later.
My initial reaction to this killing was outrage. However, I do have sympathy for people who have to deal with health-insurance companies regularly, and whose claims are often rejected. For example, I have frequently said that the conservative justices on the Supreme Court have blood on their hands for protecting gun rights with the aggressiveness that they have. The point is, executive decisions have real-world consequences, and the executives – or justices – who make those decisions must take responsibility for them. If someone were to assassinate one of the conservative justices on the Supreme Court, I might be pleased.
Luigi Mangione is the scion of a wealthy Baltimore family. He has been described in glowing terms by the people who knew him. He was intelligent and seemed to be happy. He was the kind of student who didn’t have to study for tests. That being the case, one has to wonder how he became a cold-blooded murderer. Of course, his back problems are now well known, and it is also well known that UnitedHealthcare was perhaps too aggressive in turning down claims (and that Brian Thompson would have been a key proponent of that policy). It is also well known that UnitedHealthcare makes obscene profits from its business. So it is possible to put two-and-two together.
But is this just a case of anger at a faceless corporation? It seems from writing found with Mangione when he was arrested that he was, to a certain extent, allowing himself to be radicalized by his anger.
But the real point of this article is for me to say, “What the hell were you thinking, man?” Mangione, as intelligent as he was, did not plan this thing carefully. When I first heard about the assassination, I instinctively knew that the perpetrator would be in police custody within a week. The police are far more efficient than people realize.
Mangione clearly made some assumptions that didn’t pan out. His main assumption was that, after the crime, he would easily blend into the U.S.’s large population without a problem. Indeed, he didn’t even feel that he had to travel too far for that to happen – I mean, Pennsylvania is right next to New York. He also didn’t realize how recognizable he was. Most people could probably identify the man by his shapely, bushy eyebrows without even seeing the rest of his face.
Mangione didn’t seem to know that NYC is overwhelmed with security cameras. Even if he was not recognized by a stranger, an acquaintance or family member would have recognized him, especially having removed his face mask so that he could flirt with a clerk at the hostel he was staying at. I have to admit, the guy is extraordinarily handsome, but in a way which is not typical. Indeed, the variation in human faces is such, that even the best looking people in each group do not look similar. Mangione definitely has a Mediterranean look.
It appears that Mangione did change his clothes. When he was recognized in the McDonald’s in Altoona, he was wearing a darker jacket and a pull-down knitted cap (instead of the parka with hoodie). I’m not sure that I would recognize him just from his face, but both customers and an employee of the store did, and the police were called. Eating in a public space was yet another mistake. The truth is, the moment he committed the crime, he was a marked man.
Much to my surprise, Wikipedia has posted the crime video. It shows Thompson walking down the sidewalk of West 54th Street. Mangione then steps out between the cars, pointing that black pistol he brought with him. He shoots, and Thompson staggers forward and to the right. Before he falls, he grabs onto the corner of the nearest building, and for a split-second he turns and looks right at Mangione, who is taking aim for a second shot. Thompson then falls over onto the sidewalk, where he struggles for a moment before he is shot again.
As you would expect in New York City, there were eye-witnesses. A woman standing in a doorway drinking coffee went scurrying after Mangione fired his first shot (right in front of her!). Also, there was a car in the process of parking right next to the spot where the shooting took place. It appears that Mangione then crossed in front of that car, despite that it was still moving, in order to cross the street. Watching that video has made me less sympathetic towards Mangione.
I think it’s safe to say that Mangione is self-radicalized. I’ll be curious to find out what denial of care it was that caused that. It is a shame, however, to see yet another young person throw his life away.
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