Luigi Mangione was indicted on Tuesday with terrorism-related murder charges.
Mangione was indicted on 11 counts, including first-degree murder and murder as an act of terrorism.
DA Alvin Bragg told reporters that the death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was a “frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation.”
“It occurred in one of the most bustling parts of our city, threatened the safety of local residents and tourists alike, commuters and businesspeople just starting out on their day,” he said, adding, “This type of premeditated, targeted gun violence cannot and will not be tolerated, and my office has been working day in and day out to bring the defendant to justice.
A new survey from Emerson College Polling found that 41% of U.S. adults under the age of 30 believe the slaying of Thompson to be acceptable. 40% of voters in the same age demographic found Mangione’s actions unacceptable. The poll further found that 68% of all survey participants found Thompson’s murder unacceptable. Another 16% were unsure.
Emerson College Polling executive director Spencer Kimball said, “While 68% of voters overall reject the killer’s actions, younger voters and Democrats are more split – 41% of voters aged 18-29 find the killer’s actions acceptable (24% somewhat acceptable and 17% completely acceptable), while 40% find them unacceptable; 22% of Democrats find them acceptable, while 59% find them unacceptable, this compares to 12% of Republicans and 16% of independents who find the actions acceptable, underscoring shifting societal attitudes among the youngest electorate and within party lines.”
