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Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, issued his first public statement on Friday to thank supporters for sending him letters while he is being held at a correctional facility in Brooklyn, New York.
“I am overwhelmed by — and grateful for — everyone who has written me to share their stories and express their support,” Mangione said, adding that he has received mail from around the world. “While it is impossible for me to reply to most letters, please know that I read every one that I receive. Thank you again to everyone who took the time to write.”
Mangione, 26, released his statement on a website that his legal team created to provide updates on his case and “dispel misinformation,” it said. The statement is his first official public remarks since he was arrested on Dec. 9.
Mangione is accused of fatally shooting Thompson in the back on Dec. 4 in midtown Manhattan. Police have said it was a targeted attack on the CEO. A manhunt for a suspect ensued, and Mangione was arrested in Pennsylvania days later.
Thompson’s killing ignited a national debate about America’s broken health care system and exposed the public’s anger toward the health insurance industry for its role in it. Many people have also implicitly and explicitly expressed support for Mangione, which has in turn prompted backlash over what critics call the hero worship of an alleged killer.
But support for Mangione among the public persists. A group raising money for his legal defense said on Feb. 10 that Mangione has accepted nearly $300,000 in donations. His attorney, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, confirmed to Rolling Stone that Mangione is aware of the fund and “plans on utilizing it to fight all three of the unprecedented cases against him.”
As of Saturday afternoon, the fundraiser has collected more than $430,000.
Mangione faces federal charges of murder through use of a firearm, stalking and a firearms offense. He was also indicted in New York on murder and terror charges, and in Pennsylvania on two felony and three misdemeanor charges. He has pleaded not guilty to the New York charges, and his attorneys have said he will similarly plead not guilty to his other federal and state charges.