Luigi Mangione was charged with first-degree murder and other charges related to the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson this month, the Manhattan district attorney's office announced Tuesday.
The first-degree murder charge in furtherance of terrorism strengthens the case against Mangione, 26, who killed Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel on Dec. 4.
The New York State Supreme Court indictment also charges Mangione with two counts of second-degree murder, one of which is a homicide committed in an act of terrorism; two counts of second-degree possession of a weapon; four counts of third-degree possession of a weapon; one count of fourth-degree possession of a weapon; and one count of second-degree possession of a forged instrument, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
Bragg called Thompson's killing a “brazen, targeted and premeditated shooting” at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
“This was a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder designed to cause shock, attention and intimidation,” he said. “It occurred in one of the busiest parts of our city and threatened the safety of residents and tourists alike, commuters and business people just starting their day.”
Bragg added that the terrorism charge was justified because the killing was “intended to cause terror.”
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at Tuesday's media briefing that unsealing the indictment helps move the case closer to ensuring justice for Thompson and his family.
Tisch criticized some of the reactions the fatal shooting provoked, with some praising Mangione as a hero rather than a murderer.
“This was a senseless act of violence. “It was a cold and calculated crime that took lives and put New Yorkers in danger,” she said. “We do not celebrate murders or glorify the killing of anyone.”
Tisch added that any attempt to rationalize the killing was “abhorrent, reckless and offensive” against the principles of justice.
A spokesman for UnitedHealth Group said the indictment was “an important step forward in seeking justice for the murder of our colleague Brian Thompson.”
“We will work with law enforcement to provide closure for Brian’s family, friends and colleagues,” the spokesperson said.
Charges mounted against Mangione after he was arrested Dec. 9 at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after being recognized following a large-scale manhunt.
He was indicted and is being held in Pennsylvania on criminal charges of forgery and carrying a firearm without a license, as well as misdemeanor charges related to the alleged use of fraudulent identification, and was fighting extradition.
A spokeswoman for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul told NBC News she would file an extradition order and paperwork once charges are filed against Mangione.
A source familiar with the situation told NBC News that Mangione plans to waive extradition at a hearing on Thursday. Bragg said at Tuesday's news conference that his office had received indications that this was the case, meaning Mangione would be “immediately transported to New York.”
Mangione's Pennsylvania attorney, Thomas Dickey, said he would plead not guilty in the New York and Pennsylvania cases. Karen Friedman Agnifilo was hired to represent Mangione in the New York arraignments. She declined to comment Tuesday afternoon.
Thompson was shot from behind with a 9mm handgun, once in the back and once in the leg, the Manhattan district attorney's office said Tuesday.
Ammunition found at the scene had words written on it: Two empty shell casings had the words “deny” and “depose” written on them, and one bullet found had the word “delay” written on it, the office said.
When Mangione was arrested, police found a gun, a fake ID, a notebook and a handwritten document, officials said.
The document criticized the entire U.S. health care industry, large companies and UnitedHealthcare in particular, three senior law enforcement officials said. The writings also say in part: “Frankly, these parasites had it under control,” the officials said.
Thompson's murder and the allegations against Mangione have sparked debate and anger about the health insurance industry and health care system in the United States
Before the shooting, Mangione had been missing for months. His family reported him missing to San Francisco police in mid-November, according to a missing persons flyer in which his mother said she last spoke to her son on July 1.
He spent time in Hawaii in 2022, but surfing aggravated his long-standing back problems, those who knew him there said.
According to UnitedHealth Group, neither Mangione nor his parents had insurance with UnitedHealthcare. Police said the company may have been targeted because of its size.
According to prison officials, Mangione is being held at the Huntingdon State Correctional Institution in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
