Latest on Luigi Mangione and Aftermaths of Events

Threats and harassment in wake of CEO killing/NBC Sourced

(Jeff Swensen / Getty Images)

Days after the arrest of the man suspected in the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, business executives, health insurance industry employees and law enforcement officers have reported facing threats and harassment.  Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the shooting, is being held in Pennsylvania and is fighting extradition to New York. His lawyer said he plans to plead not guilty to all charges. Here’s what we learned yesterday:  → The NYPD said a gun seized in Pennsylvania matched three shell casings found near the scene where Thompson was shot.  → Mangione’s fingerprints matched those found on a water bottle and Kind snack bar that police found at the crime scene, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at an unrelated news conference.  Thompson’s killing has catapulted the masked shooter into cause célèbre status for some who consider the crime a symbolic repudiation of the country’s health care system, and authorities fear the shooting may inspire copycat attacks. On social media, images of “wanted” posters put up in Manhattan featured photos of the CEOs of at least two health insurance companies. The words “Deny,” “Defend,” “Depose” — written on the bullet shell casings found at the crime scene — have been used on merchandise sold online glorifying the killing. And at UnitedHealthcare, the company Thompson led, employees have received threats over the phone, one worker said. The employee said that they were aware of a call involving a threat to blow up a UnitedHealthcare building and that one caller recently asked for details about the employee’s children. “I had another one say, 'This is why y’all’s CEO was shot, and if you’re not careful, you’re going to be next,'” the employee said. Read more about the reaction and threats in the wake of Thompson’s killing. Meanwhile, a review of archived Reddit posts from a now-deleted account linked to Mangione shows the user discussed undergoing spinal surgery and struggles with chronic back pain — specifically a condition called spondylolisthesis, numbness and restless sleep. Posts from the last year suggest the back problems flared up after the user went surfing. The posts are linked to the username “Mister_Cactus” and may shed light on Mangione’s interests and mental state over the last eight years. Read more about Mangione’s online activity.