Healthcare CEO shooting suspect indicted on murder charges
December 18, 2024
The US man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO has been indicted on 11 charges, including murder as an act of terrorism, authorities announced on Tuesday.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the CEO's death "was a killing that was intended to evoke terror. And we’ve seen that reaction."
The suspect, Luigi M., already was charged with murder in the killing of Brian Thompson, but the terror allegation is new.
Bragg addressed the media during a news conference, calling Thompson’s slaying a “brazen, targeted and premeditated shooting."
"This was a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation," Bragg said. "The intent was to sow terror."
If convicted, Luigi M. faces life in prison without parole.
Luigi M. currently held in Pennsylvania jail
Luigi M. was arrested after the search for the killer behind the healthcare executive's death mesmerized Americans.
He was ultimately arrested in Pennsylvania, where he was charged with gun and forgery offenses among others.
He has been locked up there without bail and is fighting extradition to New York.
Luigi M. has two court hearings scheduled for Thursday in Pennsylvania, including an extradition hearing, Bragg noted.
Anger at US health system
The assassination of Brian Thompson has exposed people's anger toward the healthcare industry.
Americans are mainly dependent on employers for health insurance since the country does not have a system of universal healthcare.
Private healthcare is very expensive. Some 500,000 people file for personal bankruptcy each year due to medical debt.
UnitedHealthcare, often criticized for rejecting doctor-prescribed treatments, became a focal point of public ire, despite the insurer confirming that Luigi M. was never a client.
*Editor's note: DW follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and obliges us to refrain from revealing full names in such cases.
ss/rm (AP, AFP, Reuters, dpa)