CEO ‘assassin’ Luigi Mangione shouts ‘insult to intelligence of Americans’ as he tussles with cops & is dragged to court
THE man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare's CEO has been dragged into court by cops after blasting his arrest as an "insult to Americans" in a shocking outburst.
Luigi Mangione, 26, had to be restrained as he shouted at the press, claiming the situation was "out of touch and an insult to the intelligence of the American people."
At least three deputies grabbed Mangione, clutching him by his neck as they shoved him into the Blair County Courthouse in .
In court, Mangione's attorney, Thomas Dickey, said his client is fighting extradition to New York, where he faces murder charges.
"He is contesting it," his lawyer told the judge.
The attorney argued Mangione was wearing a medical mask when he was arrested because he fears Covid-19, reported.
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Despite his lawyer's efforts, a judge denied Mangione's request for bail.
He'll remain at the State Correctional Institution Huntingdon as prosecutors in New York work to get a governor's warrant for extradition.
Mangione was escorted out of the courthouse at around 4:20 pm without incident.
COURT CHAOS
Before the hearing, Altoona officers pushed back a sea of news cameras as a police cruiser arrived with an irate Mangione inside.
The alleged assassin's explosion comes 24 hours after he appeared in court for the first time for an arraignment on gun and forgery charges.
New York prosecutors later filed second-degree murder charges against Mangione for the December 4 assassination of UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson.
Mangione also faces 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 weapon in New York.
The UPenn graduate, who comes from a wealthy Italian-American family with an extensive real estate portfolio in Baltimore, , was on the run for six days, crossing state borders after allegedly gunning down Thompson steps from Rockefeller Center.
Photos showed Mangione munching on a McDonald's hash brown minutes before cops swooped in.
The arrest came after a worker recognized him from wanted posters out of and called the cops.
He gave police a fake ID at first but then got nervous and started shaking when they asked him if he'd been to New York recently.
"It started out almost like a joke. My one friend thought he looked like the shooter," the man told the outlet.
"He probably heard us. That surprised me, [that] he stayed there as long as he did," he said, adding that Mangione sat about 10 feet from him, toward the back of the fast-food restaurant.
"He had a mask, a hood, and a backpack from what my buddy told me. He saw him better than I did.
What we know so far...
- Luigi Mangione was charged in New York with the murder of Brian Thompson.
- Mangione was arrested at McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania with a ghost gun, silencer, and the same fake ID used by the killer at a NYC hostel.
- He was a 'well-educated popular kid' growing up, a friend told The U.S. Sun.
- Friends of Mangione said he 'went crazy' after having giant screws put in his spine.
- Another friend said Mangione expressed his frustrations with 'not being able to have sex or date.'
- 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, surveillance footage showed.
- An expert said the killer's gun malfunction may have been ‘for show’ and linked to a secret message on bullets.
- Photos showed the suspected killer smiling as he pulled down his face mask to flirt with a hostel receptionist.
- Police found the assassin's backpack in Central Park two days after the killing - and discovered Monopoly money inside.
"From what I was told, the worker that took his order, she said his eyes and his eyebrows, she just thought it was him."
He recalled how, after Mangione received his order, he headed straight to the back of the restaurant and sat there alone, working on his laptop.
"I walked past him when I left," the McDonald's patron added.
"It's unbelievable. I still can't hardly believe it's for real, you know."
'MANGIONE'S GRUDGE'
Mangione apparently held a grudge against the healthcare industry because of how they treated a sick relative and the American public, according to The New York Times.
A manifesto found with Mangione offered a glimpse into the alleged assassin's "motive and mindset," New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
The document reportedly read: "These parasites had it coming."
"I do apologize for any strife and trauma, but it had to be done," the document reportedly continued.
Mangione also dealt with his own health problems as a former roommate disclosed he suffered from back issues that at times left him bedridden.
RJ Martin, the founder of Surfbreak, a co-living community in Honolulu, Hawaii, befriended Mangione in 2023 while he lived in the space with several other housemates.
"His back was kind of misaligned," Martin told The New York Times.
Martin recalled one instance where Mangione was unable to get up from his bed for weeks after going on a basic surf lesson.
"He said his lower vertebrae were almost like a half-inch off, and I think it pinched a nerve," Martin added.
"Sometimes he'd be doing well and other times not."
FILLED WITH RAGE
Mangione confided in Martin and several other roommates about how he was incapable of being in a relationship due to his back issues.
"He knew that dating and being physically intimate with his back condition wasn't possible," said Martin.
"I remember him telling me that, and my heart just breaks."
Mangione had back surgery in 2023 that left him with screws in his back, Martin told CNN.
The suspect posted photos of an X-ray on X, formerly Twitter, which appeared to show the hardware inserted in his body.
"He sent me the X-rays. It looked heinous with just giant screws going into his spine," he said.
"After that, he called me once, I didn't pick up."
FAMILY SPEAKS
Mangione's family released a statement late Monday through his cousin, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione.
"Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione," they wrote.
"We only know what we have read in the media. Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi's arrest."
They said they were praying for Thompson's family and asked people to "pray for all involved."
Nino canceled a fundraising event due to the fallout surrounding his cousin's arrest.
"Because of the nature of this terrible situation involving my cousin I do not believe it is appropriate to hold my fundraising event scheduled for this Thursday," he wrote.
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"I am going to postpone this event until later at a more appropriate time. ... I want to thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support.
"My family and I are heartbroken and ask that you remember the family of Mr. Thompson in your prayers. Thank you."
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.