Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, has been formally charged with first-degree murder in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, announced the indictment, which includes charges of murder as an act of terrorism. According to prosecutors, Mangione meticulously planned the attack, waiting outside a midtown Manhattan hotel and shooting Thompson with a 3D-printed ghost gun equipped with a silencer. The murder occurred on December 4, targeting Thompson as he was arriving for his company's annual investor conference, shocking the healthcare industry and the broader public.

Investigators believe Mangione was motivated by deep-seated anger towards the healthcare industry, potentially stemming from a back injury he suffered in mid-2023 that required surgical intervention. At the time of his arrest, Mangione was carrying a manifesto criticizing healthcare corporations and a notebook detailing his plans to target a CEO. His background as a high school valedictorian from an affluent family adds complexity to the case. The New York Police Department described the killing as a targeted attack driven by resentment towards "corporate greed" and the perceived failures of the health insurance system in covering medical expenses.

Mangione was apprehended on December 9 at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a five-day manhunt. He was found with a ghost gun, a suppressor, and multiple fake identification documents. The grand jury indictment includes one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and seven counts of criminal possession of a weapon. If convicted of the most serious charges, Mangione could face life in prison without the possibility of parole. The terrorism charge requires proving intent to intimidate or coerce the civilian population and influence governmental policies through murder.

The case has sparked significant public controversy, with New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch condemning the "shocking and appalling celebration of cold-blooded murder" on social media. Thompson, a 50-year-old executive at the United States' largest medical insurer, was shot in the back and leg outside the New York Hilton Midtown. District Attorney Bragg described the murder as a "frightening, well-planned and targeted" attack designed to cause terror in one of the city's busiest areas. Mangione is currently held in a Pennsylvania jail without bail, awaiting extradition to New York to face these serious charges.