The 26-year-old Ivy League grad accused of gunning down UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a Manhattan street was carrying a notebook that may lend further insight into his mindset and alleged motivation, two sources familiar with the investigation said Wednesday.
In it, Luigi Mangione allegedly wrote about wanting to target a CEO at a conference with a gun, and preferring that method to other means, like a bomb, to mitigate risk to others, according to the sources.
They said the notebook had writings including: “What do you do? You wack the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention. It’s targeted, precise, and doesn’t risk innocents.”
He allegedly had the notebook in addition to a three-page document that said in part, "frankly these parasites had it coming," referencing the healthcare industry, a senior law enforcement official briefed on the case has said.
The senior official said a day ago the writings also include alleged claims the suspect acted alone in the killing of the 50-year-old executive, who was gunned down as he walked to a midtown hotel where UnitedHealthcare’s parent company, UnitedHealth Group, was holding its annual investor conference a week ago Wednesday.
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Another line from the 300-word rant allegedly says, "I do apologize for any strife or traumas but it had to be done," according to the senior law enforcement official.
Investigators say the note did call out specifically UnitedHealthcare, as well as the broader healthcare industry in the United States and large corporations in general, senior law enforcement officials say. Those officials say there are concerns that these writings could cause others to act out in a similar capacity.
Earlier Wednesday, a senior law enforcement official said fingerprints taken from Mangione matched some found near the midtown crime scene. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that fingerprints from Mangione matched those on a KIND bar wrapper found at the scene of the shooting. Authorities had taken several key pieces of evidence from the area in the hours after the shooting.
The gun found on the suspect when he was arrested Monday was sent to the NYPD, according to Tisch. The department confirmed there was a ballistics-related match as well, with shell casings from the scene of the shooting matching those found in the weapon.
Investigators are working to bring him to New York City to face second-degree murder charges in Thompson's death. He is contesting extradition and plans to plead not guilty to charges in New York and Pennsylvania, his lawyer says.
At Tuesday's extradition hearing, defense attorney Thomas Dickey professed outside court, "You can't rush to judgment in this case or any case. He's presumed innocent. Let's not forget that."
