Chilling moment CEO ‘assassin’ Luigi Mangione tells classmates to ‘challenge the world’ in valedictorian speech
THE college graduate charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson once preached to classmates about "challenging the world."
Chilling footage shows Luigi Mangione's valedictorian speech years before he is said to have led cops on a five-day manhunt following the high-profile murder.
Mangione, 26, was arrested on Monday at a McDonald's while carrying a ghost gun, silencer, and handwritten manifesto.
He was charged with five crimes plus the murder of Thompson, 50, and held without bail after attending a preliminary arraignment hearing later that day.
Following his arrest, a video of Mangione speaking to his fellow private school students has been unearthed.
The Ivy League-educated teen made a harrowing speech to his leafy Maryland prep school in 2016.
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He was the valedictorian of Gilman School where annual tuition fees reach around $40,000.
His speech described the class as "inventive in both imagination and initiative."
He said: "Throughout its time here at Gilman the class of 2016 has been coming up with new ideas and challenging the world around it.
“I think great ideas however isn’t enough to innovate, the class of 2016’s inventiveness also stems from its incredible courage to explore the unknown and try new things.”
What we know so far...
- Luigi Mangione charged with murder of Brian Thompson
- Suspect may have turned "absolutely crazy" after agonising back surgery, pals claim
- A person of interest was arrested at McDonald's with a ghost gun, silencer, and the same fake ID used by the killer at a NYC hostel
- Police found the 'assassin's' backpack at Central Park and discovered Monopoly money inside
- Photos showed the suspected killer smiling as he pulled down his face mask to flirt with a hostel receptionist
- An expert said the killer's gun malfunction may have been ‘for show’ and linked to a secret message on bullets
- The shooter milled around the entrance for minutes before sneaking up behind the CEO and unloading a barrage of bullets into his back and leg, eerie surveillance revealed
Magione's praising of his class continued as he said they were full of "fearlessness".
His eight-minute speech concluded by thanking the cohort's parents and teachers.
He then called his class as one that “only comes around once every 50 years".
Mangione was arrested and taken to Altoona Police Department.
He held a sombre expression as he was marched into Blair County courthouse by cops for a preliminary arraignment Monday night.
He was pictured inside the station wearing a dark blue long sleeve top and jeans.
Cops first charged him with five crimes away from the murder.
These included forgery, carrying a gun without a license, false identification to law enforcement authorities, and tampering with records or identification.
They then added the murder charge, it is believed.
He is yet to officially answer to the charges or enter a plea after being denied bail.
It comes as cops are continuing to look into a number of leads following Mangione's capture.
One of the latest theories behind why he may have become a killer involves his pals claiming he turned "absolutely crazy" after an agonising back surgery.
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X-ray pictures posted by Mangione show he suffered with a misaligned spine which was reportedly made severely worse following a surfing accident.
Former classmates have appeared to tell reporters that an operation went wrong and that this could have driven the Maryland man to the brink.
Timeline of Brian Thompson's murder
BRIAN Thompson, the 50-year-old CEO of UnitedHealthcare, was shot to death in Manhattan in an execution-like killing.
Here is everything we know about Thompson's murder so far.
Monday, December 2 - Thompson travels from his home in Minnesota to New York City for an investor conference in Midtown Manhattan.
Wednesday, December 4, 6:45 am - Thompson walks from his hotel across the street to the New York Hilton Midtown and is murdered by a masked shooter. The execution was caught on surveillance, and the suspect was seen biking away toward Central Park. Cops spark a citywide search for the assassin.
11:30 am - Cops released disturbing images of the execution, offered a reward for information, and made a desperate plea for New Yorkers to keep their eyes out.
12:00 pm - Thompson's estranged wife Paulette revealed her husband had been threatened before he was shot.
2:45 pm - Cops released more eerie images of the suspect ordering at Starbucks that partially revealed his face. The U.S. Sun confirmed the coffee shop was just two blocks away from the shooting, but it's unclear when he stopped by.
December 5, 6 am - Reports claim the words "deny," "dispose," and "defend" were engraved on live rounds and shell casings left behind by the assassin. These words echo the book Delay, Deny, Defend, which is about the failings of the healthcare industry. The author of the book had no comment on the reports.
8 am- Cops raid a hostel in the Upper West Side of New York City where the suspect is said to have stayed. It's believed he wore a mask for most of the time he was there.
11 am - A person of interest in Thompson's murder is pictured. He's wearing a hood in the photo, but his full face could be seen breaking into a beaming grin. Still, no arrests have been made in the investigation.
Afternoon - Law enforcement confirms the suspect arrived in New York City on a Greyhound bus on November 24. It's also confirmed that the suspect dropped a burner cell phone near the scene of the shooting.
December 6, 3 pm - Police announce they believe the killer has left New York City via interstate bus. They release more surveillance footage that shows him taking a taxi to the George Washington Bridge Bus Station.
December 9 - Luigi Mangione, 26, is arrested as a "strong person of interest" at a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He was carrying a three-page manifesto, fake IDs, and a gun similar to the one used in Thompson's murder.
He is later charged with the murder of Thompson.