Good afternoon, I’m Alvin Bragg, Manhattan District Attorney, honored and privileged to be joined by Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

First and foremost, I want to extend my deepest condolences to Mr. Thompson’s loved ones, colleagues, his family deserves our respect as they continue to grieve. Our work will never be able to undo the fact that a life was lost.

We are here to announce that Luigi Mangione, the defendant, is charged with one count Murder in the First Degree and two counts of Murder in the Second Degree– including one count of Murder in the Second Degree as an act of terrorism – for the brazen, targeted and pre-meditated shooting of Brian Thompson, who, as you know, was the CEO of United Healthcare.

This case was made possible by the collaborative efforts of the phenomenal public servants you see before you today. And so many others who are not here. I am honored to lead the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and privileged to serve alongside  

• Assistant District Attorney’s Joel Seidemann, Kristin Bailey and Zachary Kaplan, who are working from the outset, hand in hand with the greatest police department in the world;
• The Chief of our Trial Division, Lisa DelPizzo;
• And the Deputy Chief, Christopher Prevost, providing sage oversight and direction;
• And I want to acknowledge our High Technology Analysis Unit. There was a lot to process here, Steve Moran in particular who heads that and Marko Papic;
• We are privileged here at the D.A.’s Office to work everyday with the phenomenal public servants of the NYPD. It has been a distinct pleasure to work besides Commissioner Jessica Tisch, an exemplary partner, and:

Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny, almost every day we are in touch and his leadership is 2^nd to none. And Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner, who as I tell her there are a lot of challenging things happening in the world and I sleep better at night knowing that she is the Deputy Commissioner in charge of terrorism.

The detectives on this out doing the courageous front-line work, Detective Oscar Diaz, Detective Curcio, exemplary, exemplary, the finest.

It wasn’t just those of us here in New York, I want to acknowledge the great work of our partners in Altoona:

• The Altoona Police Department;
• The Blair County District Attorney’s Office;
• The Governors of New York and PA;
• The FBI;
• And of course, the brave members of the public, who answered the call when our great Commissioner put out the call for their assistance.

This 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, threatening the safety of local residents and tourists alike, commuters and businesspeople just starting out on their day. 

Let me say a bit more about the charges. They include:

• One count of Murder in the First Degree as a killing in furtherance of terrorism.
• Two counts of Murder in the Second Degree:
  • one charge of the killing was done as an act of terrorism;
  • And the second pertaining to the fact that the killing was intentional.

The maximum penalty possible for Murder in the First Degree and Murder in the Second Degree as an Act of Terrorism is life without parole.

The maximum penalty for Murder in the Second Degree is 25 years-to-life.

There are additional counts as well – a number of criminal possession of a weapon charges:

• 2 counts in the Second Degree;
• 4 counts in the Third Degree;
• 1 count in the Fourth Degree;
• And a count of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree.

Let me tell you a bit about the facts:

On November 24th, we allege that the defendant arrived in New York City to murder Brian Thompson.

After the defendant arrived in New York City on a bus at Port Authority, he checked in at a hostel on the Upper West Side using the name “Mark Rosario” with a fake New Jersey ID.

On the morning of December 4, the defendant left the hostel just after 5:30am and travelled to Midtown.

For nearly an hour, we allege the defendant waited in the area near the Hilton, waiting for Mr. Thompson to appear.

From 6:38am to 6:44am, the defendant stood across from the entrance of the hotel on West 54^th Street. When he saw Thompson, he crossed the street and approached him from behind.

We allege that he then took out a 9-millimeter 3D printed ghost gun, equipped with a 3D printed suppressor, and shot him once in the back and once in the leg.

The defendant then fled northeast on 54^th Street and took an e-bike uptown, before getting into a Taxi that took him to West 178^th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

On December 9^th, the defendant was spotted at a McDonalds in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The local police were notified, he was arrested, and he was found with a 9-millimeter handgun, a suppresser, two ammunition magazines and the same fake New Jersey ID he used at the hostel.

I want to say a word about ghost guns. These weapons are increasingly proliferating throughout New York City and the entire country, and evolving technology will only make this problem worse. Last year over 80 ghost guns and ghost gun parts were recovered in Manhattan alone. The NYPD and the Manhattan D.A.’s Office have been leading in the interdiction of these ghost guns and one thing I want to make clear:  they are un-serialized, they can be printed out, but as this case tragically makes clear, they are just as deadly as a traditional firearm.

This will remain a priority for us here in Manhattan.

Finally, I know there have been questions about the extradition process. The latest that I can offer you is that the defendant is currently scheduled to appear in court in Pennsylvania on Thursday morning. First for a preliminary hearing on his Pennsylvania charges. Immediately to follow that will be an extradition hearing.

We have indications that the defendant may waive that hearing, in which case he will be brought to New York forthwith. In any event, we have been preparing on parallel paths and before the hearing will send to the Governor of the State of New York the paperwork that would be necessary if he does not waive during that hearing.

I now want to turn over to our great Commissioner and when I do so, I wanted to thank her for her partnership, not only on this matter but on all we do every day together. Thank you.

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