A New York City grand jury has indicted Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, on charges that include murder.
Mangione, 26, was indicted Tuesday on one count of first-degree murder in furtherance of terrorism; two counts of second-degree murder, one of which is charged as killing as an act of terrorism; seven counts of criminal possession of a weapon; and one count of possession of a forged instrument. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Mangione is accused of fatally shooting Thompson in midtown Manhattan on Dec. 4. A national manhunt ensued, and Mangione was arrested Dec. 9 in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
“This was a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said at a news conference Tuesday. “It occurred in one of the most bustling parts of our city, threatening the safety of local residents and tourists alike, commuters and businesspeople just starting out on their day.”
In Pennsylvania, Mangione faces felony charges of forgery and carrying a firearm without a license, along with misdemeanor charges of tampering with records or identification, possessing instruments of crime and providing false identification to law enforcement.
Mangione’s New York attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, has not publicly commented about her client or the charges against him. His Pennsylvania lawyer, Thomas Dickey, has said Mangione will plead not guilty to all charges.
Dickey previously said his client would fight extradition to New York, but a source familiar with the situation told NBC News on Tuesday that Mangione plans to waive extradition. Bragg also told reporters that he expects Mangione to do so.
