Luigi Mangione, the man arrested in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, caused a scene on Tuesday, Dec. 10, as he was escorted into court by law enforcement officers. The 26-year-old murder suspect appeared to shout a cryptic message toward reporters and cameras outside the courthouse.
The incident was captured on video and widely shared on social media, showing Mangione struggling with officers as they led him from a police vehicle into the courthouse. With his hands handcuffed behind his back, Mangione turned and screamed, “It’s completely out of touch! It’s an insult to the intelligence of the American people!” The meaning behind his outburst remains unclear.
Mangione, a Baltimore-area native and former high school valedictorian, was arrested Monday afternoon after being recognized at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Local police took him into custody shortly after an employee called 911.
An arrest warrant obtained by PEOPLE reveals Mangione has been charged with one count of murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of second-degree possession of a forged document, and one count of third-degree criminal possession of a firearm. In addition, he faces charges in Pennsylvania for carrying a weapon and presenting a fake ID to police. Mangione was arraigned on Tuesday and denied bail.
Mangione has not yet entered a plea, but law enforcement sources told PEOPLE that officers discovered a manifesto allegedly written by him. In the document, Mangione railed against the healthcare industry, claiming Thompson’s killing “had to be done” and writing, “frankly, these parasites had it coming.”
Brian Thompson, 50, was fatally shot in front of the New York Hilton Midtown hotel, where UnitedHealthcare executives were gathering for an investor meeting. Shell casings found at the scene reportedly bore the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose” — possibly referencing a phrase often associated with the insurance industry: “deny, delay, defend.”
Reports indicate Mangione had been struggling with “debilitating” back pain in recent years. Friends and family say they lost contact with him over the summer. CNN and The New York Times reported that Mangione’s mother, Kathleen Mangione, reported him missing to the San Francisco Police Department on Nov. 18.
R.J. Martin, a friend who met Mangione in Hawaii, told Honolulu Civil Beat that Mangione “went radio silent in June or July.” Friends had attempted to reach him via social media but received no response.
As the investigation continues, Mangione remains in custody, and the case is drawing widespread attention for its shocking nature and unsettling details.