New York (Reuters) – In the days after he was charged with the shooting death of a top health insurance executive, more than a thousand donations were made to an online fundraising campaign for his defense, with messages of support and even commemoration of the crime.
In New York, “Wanted” posters with CEOs’ faces appeared on walls. Websites are selling Mangione merchandise, including hats with the phrase “CEO hunter” printed on a target. Some social media users were enchanted by his smile and six-pack abs.
Mangione was charged with murder in the killing of UnitedHealthcare Chief Executive Brian Thompson in a , outside a Manhattan hotel before an insurance industry conference, kicking off a five-day manhunt for the masked killer .
The crime he is accused of has been widely condemned, but the photogenic 26-year-old, who graduated from a prestigious university, has become a disturbing mix of folk hero, celebrity and online crush in certain circles. Support for him only appears to have intensified since his arrest on Monday.
Online fundraising
Most of the messages on the fundraising site GiveSendGo reflect a deep frustration shared by many Americans with the U.S. healthcare system, in which patients may be denied some treatments and reimbursements depending on insurance coverage, as well as a broader anger over rising income inequality and rising executive salaries.
“Denying people health coverage is murder, but no one is charged with this crime,” wrote one donor, calling the death a “justifiable homicide.”
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Several others wrote simply “Deny, Defend, Depose” — the words allegedly written on bullet casings found at the crime scene intended to invoke tactics that some insurance companies are accused of using to avoid paying claims.
More than $31,000 had been raised as of Wednesday on GiveSendGo alone.
Felipe Rodriguez, a former NYPD detective, expressed his dismay at the reaction. “They made him a martyr for all the problems people had with their own insurance companies,” said Rodriguez, who is now an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. “I mean, who hasn’t had problems with their insurance company? But he’s a stone-cold killer.”
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Mangione is being held in Pennsylvania on weapons and forgery charges while New York prosecutors seek his transfer. His attorney said he plans to plead not guilty to the Pennsylvania charges.
Frustration and anger
On Wednesday, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said police matched the gun found with Mangione to shell casings recovered at the crime scene and his fingerprints to a water bottle and bar wrapper. energy sources found nearby.
Other evidence includes handwritten documents found in his possession that describe his alleged crime as a legitimate response to what he considers to be corporate greed, according to some news outlets.
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Americans pay more for health care than residents of any other country, and data shows that spending on insurance premiums, out-of-pocket costs, pharmaceuticals and hospital services has increased over the past five years.
Mangione suffered from chronic back pain that affected his daily life, according to friends and social media posts, although it is unclear whether his personal health played a role in the murder.
“It’s hard to underestimate the anger and anguish people have with their insurance companies,” said David Shapiro, a former FBI agent and professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.
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Shapiro said he had never seen anything like the reaction to Mangione, but added, “It’s not that far-fetched, given the climate in the country and the ease of rooting anonymously on the internet.”
On TikTok, users shared videos and photos of Mangione’s attack with messages of praise such as “this man is an absolute legend” and “class consciousness is rising.”
However, support was not universal.
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Several commentators on social media noted Mangione’s privileged background as a member of a prominent Baltimore, Maryland, family compared to Thompson’s working-class upbringing in rural Iowa, and said the murder was an example of how the rhetoric anti-capitalism can incite violence.
Others described how their health plans paid for life-saving treatments.
On Wednesday, UnitedHealth Group Chief Executive Andrew Witty sent employees a letter praising Thompson. “Brian was one of the good guys,” he wrote. “I will miss him. And I’m incredibly proud to call him my friend.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro condemned those who were uplifting Mangione, calling the response “deeply disturbing.” “In the United States, we don’t kill people in cold blood to resolve political differences or express a point of view,” he said.
