Inside the Courtroom: Mangione Describes Killing Thompson for the First Time

Reporters present in the Manhattan courtroom described a tense atmosphere as Luigi Mangione stood before the judge and acknowledged committing the act that has captivated public attention for nearly two years. It was the first time in any court proceeding that Mangione himself described how he killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. His words were brief but devastating: "I shot Mr Thompson in Manhattan and he died." The guilty plea ends what might have been a prolonged federal trial and redirects attention to the state-level case that still awaits sentencing proceedings.