How the internet cheered the UnitedHealth shooting suspect as a folk hero
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Luigi Mangione. Photo: LinkedIn
Even before police arrested Luigi Mangione in connection with the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, some on the internet were hailing him as a 21st-century Robin Hood.
The big picture: Mangione's arrest has done little to slow the internet's lionization of him, but Thompson's death has spurred online vitriol toward the insurance industry and a tsunami of memes celebrating the suspect.
- "Luigi Mangione serves face as he is led into court!" Luigi Mangione Updates, a fan account, wrote a post on X Monday alongside a photo of the suspect being escorted by police.
- Another X user posted a winking joke about Mangione's Italian heritage, writing: "Luigi Mangione: i hata paying da premiums, i shoota da ceo" alongside a movie gif of Robert De Niro.
- As more photos of Mangione began to circulate online, so too did a fancam video edit.
- On Instagram, influencers and others looking for clout began tagging an account that seemingly belonged to Mangione, The Cut reported.
The latest: Mangione was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania Monday and subsequently charged with murder in connection with Thompson's killing.
- Law enforcement officials said Mangione was carrying a ghost gun and fake IDs when he was arrested, as well as a handwritten document that criticized corporations and health insurance companies.
State of play: Over the weekend, before Mangione was named a person of interest, the internet collectively swooned for the "hot assassin" after CCTV images showing part of his face were released.
- Others cracked jokes after police discovered a backpack allegedly belonging to the shooter that was filled with monopoly money.
- UnitedHealthcare was forced to turn off Facebook comments after a post about Thompson's death received more than 36,000 "laugh" reactions, the New Yorker reported.
Zoom in: After authorities said shell casings had been found at the crime scene etched with the words "deny," "defend" and "depose" — referring to tactics the insurance industry has used to avoid paying claims — the words became a rallying cry.
- On TikTok, folk singer Joe DeVito went viral after posting a song with a chorus that included the phrase.
- Merchandise, including sweatshirts, wine tumblers and hats emblazoned with the words, began making their way around online storefronts, though some have since been removed, the Washington Post reported.
Zoom out: The public's reaction to Thompson's killing has highlighted the avarice and inequality that many Americans believe is at the root of the country's health care system.
- For as many jokes internet users cracked casting the suspected shooter as a "folk hero," others pointed to the systemic wealth inequality governing a society in which UnitedHealthcare reported over $16 billion in operating profits in 2023.
Go deeper: UnitedHealth CEO's killing unleashes social media rage against insurers
