Mangione Extradited to New York, Possible Copycat Killing in Michigan

New York City, NY (WorkersCompensation.com) – Luigi Mangione, the accused killer of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was extradited to Manhattan on Monday to face charges on murder and terrorism.

A spokeswoman for the Manhattan district attorney’s office said state and local authorities were coordinating with federal officials who may charge him with federal death penalty-eligible offenses.

On Thursday, Mangione waived his extradition from Pennsylvania to New York and was transported to New York City by helicopter. After a dramatic, photo-friendly perp-walk, Mangione was hauled into federal court where he was charged with murder with the use of a firearm, discharging a firearm with the use of a silencer and two counts of stalking.

Mangione is accused of shooting Thompson in the back on Dec. 4. Around 7 a.m., Mangione allegedly stepped out from behind cars parked near the Hilton Hotel in Midtown and shot Thompson in the leg and back. Thompson was on his way to a conference to speak to UnitedHealthcare investors. Video of the attack showed the shooter in a large khaki coat with their face obscured by a mask, shooting Thompson several times.

Thompson died at the scene and the shooting fled, using an electric bike to escape through Central Park. The shooter's escape led to a city-wide manhunt that extended into Pennsylvania. Investigators found shell casings with the words “deny,” “delay,” and “defend” on them, which investigators said was a nod to insurance policies of denying claims.

Online reaction to the shooting was in some cases supportive of the shooter, as people on social media shared their stories struggling with insurance companies to get treatment or to get prescribed treatment paid for.

Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Penn. about five days later when someone at a McDonald’s there recognized him and a McDonald’s employee called the police. Mangione had a 3D-printed gun, a silencer, and ammunition matching the shell casings. He faces lower-level offenses in that state, including carrying a firearm without a license, forgery and giving police a fake ID.

In court documents filed on Thursday, federal officials said Mangione’s stalking of Thompson started on Nov. 24 when he traveled from Atlanta, Ga. to New York and checked into an Upper West Side hostel for 10 days. Federal officials said Mangione methodically planned the hit, counting down the days for months beforehand. The federal complaint said Mangione wrote in notebooks about his “hostility toward the health insurance industry and wealthy executives in particular.” Officials said Mangione suffered from debilitating back pain that was the result of an injury he received while surfing in Hawaii.

The outpouring of support for Mangione from others who have struggled with the health insurance industry has led some officials to worry about copycat killings.

In Michigan, an employee of a manufacturing company stabbed the CEO during a staff meeting that authorities are calling a possible copycat of Mangione’s attack.

Nathan Joseph Mahoney, 31, was arrested in connection with the stabbing of Eric Denslow, the president of Anderson Express Inc. in the company’s Muskegon office on Dec. 17.

In a press release, the Fruitport Township Police Department said Mahoney, a recent hire who was being trained to replace a worker who was retiring, was in a staff meeting when he got up and left the room. About 10 minutes later, officials said, he came back into the room, walked over to Denslow and stabbed him in the side.

Following the incident, Mahoney ran from the business and left the scene in his car. He was arrested about 15 minutes later, police said. Mahoney was charged with attempted murder and fleeing and eluding the police. He will face a judge on Dec. 26 for a probable cause conference.

Denslow was rushed to a nearby hospital for surgery and was listed as “serious but stable” on Wednesday.

Investigators said they don’t have a motive, but were looking into the possibility the stabbing could have been inspired by Mangione.

“We haven’t ruled out copycat motive in regards to this,” Deputy Chief Greg Poulson told television station WOOD. “I think that comes to everyone’s mind in this time. We’re going through all his social accounts, all his electronic media and trying to determine a motive for this act.”

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