As Luigi Mangione awaits his court hearing over UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson’s death, the Mangione family shares their perspective in a recent statement.
The family of Luigi Mangione has spoken out through his cousin, Maryland Delegate Nino Mangione, for the first time since his arrest in Pennsylvania.
“Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione. We only know what we have read in the media. Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest,” the family said.
They also conveyed sympathy to Thompson’s loved ones, acknowledging their loss. They urged the public to offer prayers for everyone impacted by the tragedy. “We are devastated by the news,” the family reiterated. Mangione’s family background adds another dimension to the story.
According to the New York Times, Mangione comes from a prominent and influential family in the Baltimore metropolitan area with deep roots in the real estate and business sectors. His grandparents, Nick Mangione Sr. and Mary C. Mangione, purchased and developed the Turf Valley Country Club in Ellicott City during the 1970s.
Over the years, the family expanded their ventures, acquiring Hayfields Country Club in Hunt Valley, Maryland, founding Lorien Health Services, a chain of nursing homes, and owning WCBM-AM, a politically conservative radio station.
Aaron Cranston, a former classmate of Mangione’s at the Gilman School in Baltimore, described him as a smart and ambitious student. Cranston expressed disbelief at the allegations, stating that Mangione’s background seemed inconsistent with such a crime.
Cranston also shared that earlier this year, Mangione’s family circulated a message seeking information on his whereabouts. They had reportedly not heard from him for several months following back surgery.
Authorities arrested Mangione at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, on December 9, after a customer recognized him from widely circulated photos during a multi-state manhunt, according to NBC News.
Shortly after his arrest, Mangione was arraigned in Pennsylvania on two felony charges: carrying a firearm without a license and forgery. He also faced three misdemeanor charges: tampering with records, possessing instruments of crime, and providing false identification to law enforcement.
He was denied bail and has not entered a plea. Additional charges related to Thompson’s death are expected to be filed in New York soon, officials said. Officers immediately identified Mangione as the person of interest after asking him to remove his mask.
According to the police complaint, when questioned about whether he had recently been to New York, “the male became quiet and started to shake.”
Law enforcement reported that Mangione was in possession of a homemade firearm, or a “ghost gun,” along with multiple fake IDs and a handwritten document that allegedly provided insight into his motives.
NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny noted that the firearm, potentially made with a 3D printer, included a suppressor and had the capability of firing 9mm rounds.
Investigators also linked Mangione to the crime through a fraudulent ID found at a New York hostel, which matched the alias used by the suspected gunman. Clothing recovered during the arrest matched descriptions of what the shooter wore.
Mangione had no prior criminal record, but investigators are reviewing his online activity, which includes references to domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski, known for his anti-establishment beliefs.
It remains unclear whether Thompson’s name appears in the handwritten document recovered from Mangione. “We don’t think that there’s any specific threats to other people mentioned in that document…But it does seem that he has some ill will toward corporate America,” Kenny said.
Meanwhile, The Associated Press reported new details about Mangione’s handwritten document, shared by a law enforcement official who requested anonymity. “To the Feds, I’ll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn’t working with anyone,” the document read.
The document also attempted to justify the act, “I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.”
Following the arrest, police released photos of Mangione in custody, and he was later transferred to the State Correctional Institution in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
The arrest was a key development in the investigation of the fatal shooting of Thompson on December 4 outside the Hilton Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch reportedly said that Thompson was walking to UnitedHealthcare’s investor conference when an unknown assailant approached from behind and fired multiple rounds, striking him in the back and calf.
Thompson was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai West Hospital. As reported by NBC, police described it as a “premeditated, preplanned targeted attack.”
Surveillance footage, shared by NBC, showed the gunman waiting several minutes before shooting Thompson, who wore a blue suit. The attacker followed him as he fell and continued firing. Police said the gun used by the assailant appeared to have jammed but was cleared before the shooter resumed firing.
At the crime scene, Kenny said officers found three live 9 mm rounds, three shell casings, and a cell phone. Investigators also believed the gunman used a firearm with a silencer.
The suspect fled on foot, switched to a rental bike, and was last seen entering Central Park. Police described the suspect as wearing a black hoodie and pants and carrying a gray backpack.
Police also believed that Thompson was deliberately targeted, though the motive remains unclear. Adding to the uncertainty, Thompson’s wife, Paulette, recalled that her husband had received threats.
“Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him,” she said about the nature of these threats. The family mourned Thompson’s loss, describing him as an “incredibly loving, generous, and talented man,” and requested privacy during that difficult time.
In the wake of the tragedy, UnitedHealth Group released a statement expressing shock and sadness over Thompson’s death, describing him as a respected colleague and friend. The company pledged full cooperation with the NYPD’s investigation and extended heartfelt condolences to Thompson’s family and loved ones.
As authorities continue their investigation, Mangione’s next court hearing is reportedly scheduled on December 23.
