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  • February 11, 2025
Former classmate of man arrested for murder of healthcare CEO says he is shocked

Former classmate of man arrested for murder of healthcare CEO says he is shocked

Questions continue to arise about the man charged last week in the public execution of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City.

Luigi Mangione, 26, was born and raised in the Baltimore area and graduated from the prestigious Gilman School as class valedictorian before attending the University of Pennsylvania, where he would earn an engineering degree.

But now Mangione is at the center of an infamous investigation that includes a 3D-printed ghost gun, a three-page handwritten note allegedly critical of corporate America, and the death of a successful healthcare executive.

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A former classmate of Mangione told Scripps News he was shocked to learn he was under investigation for murder. He said Mangione never gave any indication during their school days that he was capable of committing such a heinous crime.

“(He was) not a problematic kid in high school,” Minjun Kim explained. “He never really got into trouble, wasn’t looking for attention or anything like that. He’s portrayed as quite a radical and he’s just not the type of guy to wear that label.”

Mangione was arrested Monday at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after police received a tip about a man matching the description of the person wanted in connection with Thompson’s murder.

A police report shows that Mangione initially presented officers with a fake identification card. It had the same name that police say Mangione used at a New York hostel before allegedly killing Thompson, police said.

When confronted about the fake ID, police said Mangione told them his real name. He was subsequently arrested.

Police said they found a gun with a metal slide and barrel and a plastic handle in Mangione’s backpack. They also found a plastic suppressor, six 9mm bullets in a Glock magazine and one loose bullet.

Authorities believe the firearm was a “ghost gun” likely made with a 3D printer.

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Although police have not yet revealed a definitive motive, writings recovered during Mangione’s arrest may shed light on his thinking. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said the materials showed Mangione harbored “ill will toward corporate America.”

Mangione has been charged with murder, firearms and forgery. He is currently being held without bail at a state prison in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania.

The family of Mangione, who is well known in Maryland, released a statement Monday evening saying they were “shocked” and “saddened” by the arrest.

“We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and ask people to pray for everyone involved. We are devastated by this news,” the statement read.