Luigi Mangione has been formally charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, according to the New York district attorney’s office. The charges against Mangione also include two counts of second-degree murder, with one of these charges characterized as an act of “terrorism.”
District Attorney Alvin Bragg emphasized the intent behind the crime, citing it as a “frightening, well-planned and targeted murder” aimed at instilling fear in the community. Mangione is set to appear in court on December 19 to address the potential extradition to New York, though Bragg indicated that Mangione might not contest this extradition.
Bragg stated, “We have indications the defendant may waive that hearing.” This upcoming hearing coincides with Mangione’s preliminary hearing regarding gun-related charges in Pennsylvania.
During a press conference, Bragg and New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch condemned the public reactions that seemed to celebrate Mangione following Thompson’s murder. Tisch expressed her outrage, stating, “We don’t celebrate murders and we don’t lionise the killing of anyone.”
Mangione was apprehended five days after Thompson’s death at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, where police discovered him with a fake ID and an untraceable “ghost gun.” His attorney claims there is no evidence directly connecting Mangione’s firearm to the murder.
New York prosecutors began presenting their evidence against Mangione to a grand jury last week. If extradited, the 26-year-old is expected to be detained at Riker’s Island or another correctional facility in New York.
Commissioner Tisch noted that the evidence against Mangione includes a positive match of his fingerprints found at the crime scene. Additionally, during his arrest, police recovered a ghost gun, a fake ID, a passport, and a handwritten document detailing his “motivation and mindset.”
In Pennsylvania, Mangione faces charges including forgery, illegal possession of firearms, tampering with identification records, and providing false identification. While awaiting proceedings in New York, he remains in maximum security at Huntingdon State Correctional Institution, with bail denied.
This story is developing, and more updates will follow as new information becomes available.
