A man has been arrested and charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Five notes:
1. On Dec. 9, local authorities in Altoona, Penn. arrested 26-year-old Luigi Mangione as the suspect in the murder that occurred Dec. 4 in midtown Manhattan.
The suspect was carrying multiple fraudulent IDs, along with clothing and weapons consistent with the incident. Additionally, officers recovered a handwritten document regarding his motivation and mindset, where he expressed contempt toward corporate America and the healthcare industry.
Manhattan prosecutors charged Mangione on Dec. 9 with five felony counts, including second-degree murder, three counts of weapons possession, and possession of a forged instrument, according to court records. He has also been charged with five counts in Pennsylvania, including one felony count of forgery, one felony count of carrying a firearm without a license, one misdemeanor count of tampering with records or identification, one misdemeanor count of possessing instruments of a crime and one misdemeanor count of false identification to law enforcement authorities, according to a Dec. 9 criminal complaint.
2. "Our hope is that today's apprehension brings some relief to Brian's family, friends, colleagues and the many others affected by this unspeakable tragedy," UnitedHealthcare told The New York Times. "We thank law enforcement and will continue to work with them on this investigation. We ask that everyone respect the family's privacy as they mourn."
3. The killing of the CEO of the nation's largest insurer has sparked a firestorm of online hostility toward the health insurance industry more broadly. Individuals took to social media to share their experiences with delayed and denied care. One federal lawmaker described the situation as unjustified but not surprising, while another said the anger should be directed toward Congress.
4. In an internal video message to employees Dec. 6, UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty addressed the fatal shooting.
"I'm sure everybody has been disturbed by the negative and in many cases vitriolic media and commentary that has been produced over the last few days, particularly in the social media environment," Mr. Witty said. "There are very few people in the history of the U.S. healthcare industry who had a bigger positive effect on American healthcare than Brian."
5. Michael Tuffin, CEO of AHIP, the trade association representing health insurers, wrote in a LinkedIn post that the association condemns "any suggestion that threats against our colleagues — or anyone else in our country — are ever acceptable."
Insurers have quickly tightened security around their executives, canceling conferences or moving them to virtual formats, temporarily closing offices and removing biographical information online.