Luigi Mangione's pals say CEO shooter ‘went crazy’ and fled to Japan after giant screws put in spine – The Mirror US
The Ivy Leaguer accused of murdering a top CEO may have spiraled into madness following a botched back surgery that required 'giant screws' in his spine, according to friends.
Luigi Mangione, the alleged killer, had shared X-ray images on social media showing his misaligned spine, which was reportedly worsened by a surfing accident.
Some of those looking into the 26-year-old former high school valedictorian believe that this severe back injury, which required screws in his spine, led to a concerning decline over the past year.
Former classmates of Mangione suggest that the failed surgery could have pushed the Maryland man to the edge. According to reports Mangione is said to have moved to Japan after the accident and lived in seclusion away from his family and friends.
The suspect, linked by NYPD to the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was photographed being led into a Pennsylvania courthouse late Monday evening for arraignment on gun charges.
Just hours after a McDonald's employee spotted Mangione and called the police, police discovered the 'ghost gun' he was carrying, which may match the weapon used to kill CEO Brian Thompson last week. Within hours, Luigi Mangione stood before a judge.
Although cameras were not allowed in the courtroom during the arraignment, Mangione was seen being led in handcuffs by police into the Blair County courthouse in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. Manhattan prosecutors have charged Luigi Mangione with murder. He faces one count of murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession.
The individual accused of the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week faces multiple charges, including one count 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 firearm.
Currently incarcerated in Pennsylvania, the alleged shooter of the UnitedHealth CEO was charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery, and providing false identification to law enforcement. The specifics of his extradition to New York are still uncertain and hinge on whether he opts to waive his right to contest the extradition process.
Upon his arrest, the 26-year-old was initially deemed a "strong person of interest." However, following the charges brought against him in New York, he now stands as the prime suspect.
Mangione's family reacted to his arrest on Monday night with a statement shared on social media. Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest," his cousin, Maryland legislator Nino Mangione, wrote the post. "We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved."
In addition to the firearm allegedly found on him, a silencer and a counterfeit New Jersey ID were discovered, which corresponds to the one the suspect used to register at his New York City hostel on Nov. 24, ten days prior to the shooting.
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Mangione was also found with clothes that matched those worn by the shooter. A handwritten "manifesto" critical of the healthcare industry was also uncovered, and police stated on Monday that he harbored "ill will for corporate America."
Blair County District Attorney Peter Weeks revealed in court that Mangione had a passport and $10,000 in cash on him, $2,000 of which was in foreign currency. Mangione contested the amount. He was also found in possession of a box of masks, according to the prosecutor.
In a disturbing and violent review on his Goodreads account, Mangione suggested that we are merely "animals" and that "violence" is essential for survival, matching what was written in his manifesto.
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