Since the shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, its been hard to escape images of the suspected shooter. Even though a suspect – Ivy League grad Luigi Mangione – was identified, authorities have revealed that none of the hundreds of tips received came from his family and friends.
That might seem surprising in light of the public’s response to Mangione. There have been numerous social media posts and memes about everything from his good looks to his reviews on Goodreads. As information came out about his medical issues and critique of the insurance industry in his manifesto, Mangione has also garnered an unusual amount of public sympathy for a suspected killer, with some sharing their medical horror experiences in response to his story.
One surveillance photo of the suspected killer appeared to show him smiling at an employee in a New York hostel after Thompson, a father of two, was killed in Manhattan. Another shows him in a face mask with his eyes and eyebrows visible.
These photos apparently led a customer at an Altoona, Pa., McDonald’s to contact authorities who eventually arrested Mangione in connection with Thompson’s murder. While another customer at that same McDonald’s admitted that he and his fellow diners also thought Mangione looked “like the shooter from New York,” others online aren’t as convinced. Still, Mangione was charged this week with murder.
In an interview with MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”, New York Police Department Chief of Patrol John Chell said: “I think all these things will be asked and answered in time,” when asked if any of Mangione’s family and friends recognized him from the surveillance photos. Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry said more than 400 tips came in.
“Thank God for the customer that was in the McDonald’s,” Daughtry added. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro also called the person who reported seeing Mangione a “hero” according to CBS News.
In an interview with Fox News’ “Your World” featuring host Neil Cavuto, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said that police received at least 200 tips. He also said none of them were named Mangione.
“One of Mangione's former high school classmates had a simple explanation – the suspected assassin is most recognizable for his dark, curly hair, which was covered up in images that the NYPD released before his arrest,” said Fox News Digital, citing an interview with Mangione’s former classmate Freddie Leatherbury on “Fox & Friends” this Wednesday.
R.J. Martin, Mangione’s roommate in Hawaii, also spoke to the press about the 26-year-old’s “crippling back pain,” per CBS.
“He didn’t disclose a lot about it. I knew it was an issue,” Martin revealed. “I knew it inhibited him from doing a lot of activities he wanted to, but when he wasn’t in pain, he was extremely active.”
According to the Associated Press, Mangione underwent back surgery last year after dealing with chronic pain. Following the surgery, he posted on Reddit about his recovery, said the outlet. It also reported that Mangione was not a client of UnitedHealthcare “and may have targeted it because of its size and influence,” citing a senior police official.
Social media posts linked to Mangione – who was the valedictorian of Gilman School in Baltimore, Md. – appear to show a young man with many friends who was close to his family and loved to travel. One such post on TikTok that showed Mangione help his friend find late-night mochi ice cream went viral, with more than 18 million views.
As for his family, Mangione’s cousin, Republican Maryland House delegate Nino Mangione, released this statement: “Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione. We only know what we have read in the media. Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved. We are devastated by this news.”
USA Today also reported that Luigi Mangione’s sister, MariaSanta, a physician at the University of Texas Southwestern, wrote: “Praying for you,” in a now-unavailable post. His other sister, Luciana, shared a picture of her and her brother smiling on a beach in a Monday Instagram post, the outlet added.
In addition to New York and Altoona, Mangione may have also been in Pittsburgh after Thompson’s murder. Kris B. Mamula of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette joined KDKA Radio’s “The Big K Morning Show” this week to discuss that angle of the story.
He said that there is still little information about Mangione’s potential movements in Pittsburgh. At the same time, Mamula also said he has seen “startling” signs of support for the suspect. During the interview, he also discussed threats against the McDonald’s where Mangione was caught.