Compiled by: Emili TK
Who is Luigi Mangione, CEO shooting suspect?
A clearer profile is emerging of Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City last week.
Police arrested Mangione on Monday in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a McDonald’s employee recognised him and called authorities. At the time of his arrest, Mangione was reportedly carrying a “ghost gun” — a firearm that is difficult to trace — and a handwritten three-page document described by officials as providing insight into his “motivation and mindset.”
Early Life and Education
Mangione, originally from Baltimore, Maryland, has also lived in San Francisco, California, and more recently in Honolulu, Hawaii, according to police. His upbringing was reportedly privileged. A graduate of the exclusive Gilman School, an all-boys private high school in Baltimore, Mangione was the school’s valedictorian, a title awarded to the top-performing student in each class.
In a statement, the school expressed deep concern over the allegations, calling the situation “deeply distressing.”
Freddie Leatherbury, a former classmate, described Mangione as someone from a “wealthy family, even by Gilman standards,” adding, “Quite honestly, he had everything going for him.”
Mangione continued his academic success at the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in computer science. While there, he founded a video game development club and was described by peers as highly intelligent and “super normal.”
Career Path and Interests
Professionally, Mangione’s LinkedIn profile lists him as a former data engineer for TrueCar, an online marketplace for new and used cars. A spokesperson for TrueCar confirmed he had not been employed there since 2023. Previously, he worked as a programming intern at Firaxis Games, a developer known for titles like Civilization.
Outside his career, Mangione pursued personal interests such as surfing and hiking. He briefly lived in a co-living surfing community in Hawaii called Surfbreak. A fellow resident, Sarah Nehemiah, told CBS News that Mangione left the community due to worsening back pain from surfing and hiking injuries.
Legal and Criminal Context
New York police noted that Mangione had no prior arrests in the city. However, authorities revealed that the weapon he carried at the time of his arrest, a ghost gun, highlights a disturbing trend in gun violence involving untraceable firearms.
Community Reactions
News of Mangione’s arrest has shocked those who knew him, with classmates and former colleagues struggling to reconcile the allegations with the person they remembered. “He didn’t have enemies,” one former classmate told CBS News.
As the investigation unfolds, Mangione’s background as a high-achieving, well-connected individual from a prominent family raises questions about the events leading to this tragic incident.
