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Assassination of Brian Thompson

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Name(s): Assassination of United Healthcare CEO Brain Thompson; The Adjuster; Luigi Mangione
Abbreviation(s):
Scope/Focus:
Date(s): December 2024
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On the morning of 4 December 2024, United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead in front of a Manhattan hotel on his way to an investor conference.[1] Fueled by anger at the United States health insurance system, an overnight true crime fandom developed in which many internet users began to make memes and fanworks associated with the assailant, who remained unidentified for several days and was given the popular moniker "The Adjuster"[2] (or the "CIaims Adjuster").[3]

Upon the release of images of a person of interest identified in the shooting and the arrest of 26-year old Luigi Mangione (who was subsequently charged with the murder on December 9th)[4], the fannish activity continued as many found Mangione to be attractive and have sympathetic motives.[5] Within days of the murder, the shooter (and Mangione who has yet to be proven guilty in a court of law) were elevated to folk hero status.[6] [7]

Following Mangione's arrest, platforms such as TikTok, Tumblr, and Twitter continued to see a surge of activity related to the case.[5] Many users took to expressing their support of Mangione (some believing in his evidence, others supporting his actions), making fancams and edits of him and digging through his online presence. Others dedicated time to making fanworks featuring the Adjuster/Mangione, such as reader-insert fanfiction on AO3. Other fans took this as an opportunity to write Alternate Universe stories inspired by the shooting featuring established fandoms such as the Marauders/Harry Potter and k-pop boy band TXT.[8]

The fan activity caught the attention of mainstream media outlets, some of which shared fan-made content to their audiences.

Fannish Activity

Look-alike Contest

On 7 December 2024, a look a like contest in the vein of the earlier viral Timothee Chalamet look-alike contest was held in New York City in Washington Square Park. The event gained online notoriety.[9] [10] [11] It gained further attention in the k-pop fan community after viewers of the video noticed a group filming a dance cover of the song "Heartshaker" by Twice in the vicinity of the event.

The anonymous winner of the contest praised the actions of the assassin and expressed that he would be donating half of the cash prize from the event to charity supporting the Palestinian people. [11][7]

Common Tropes

  • Inclusion of Luigi from Mario series - After Mangione's arrest, the use of Luigi from the Mario series became common, especially due to his name's similiarity with Luigi's Mansion.
  • "Deny, Defend, Depose" - The phrase "deny, defend, depose" became a common rallying cry and feature of creative works made in response to the assassination after these words were discovered etched onto bullets at the crime scene. This phrase echoes the similar phrase "deny, delay, and defend" used to describe tactics used by insurance companies in denying claims. [12] Delay, Deny, Defend is the title of a 2010 book by Jay M. Feinman, a law professor at Rutgers Unviersity.

Fanworks

Fan Art

Fanfiction

Real-person Fics About the Adjuster/Mangione
Fics Based in Already Established Fandoms

Edits

Music

Merchandise

In response to the assassination, some people began creating and selling fan-made merchandise--often depicting the "deny, delay, depose" messaging or advocating for "Free Luigi." Online commerce platforms like Amazon and Etsy moved to remove such merchandise.[13]

Public Reaction

For a fairly neutral, mainstream report on fan activity, see the Rolling Stone article "Internet Takes Lack of Sympathy Further, Thirsts for CEO Shooting Suspect Luigi Mangione" by Miles Klee.

The fannish reaction to Thompson's murder provoked a great deal of confusion and often anger from the general public.[3] The reasons why so many people flocked to the Adjuster and Luigi (who, as of writing has yet to stand trial) were varied. An argument could be made that this behavior emerged from political unrest and dissatisfaction with the American healthcare system, though this often appeared to be overlooked.

Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro (the state in which Mangione was apprehended) described the support for Mangione's alleged actions as "deeply disturbing"-- which is a view taken by much of the public.[14]

Psychologist Dr. Tracy Alloway theorized that the support shown towards Mangione specifically could derive from people's desire to root for a perceived underdog with whom they can identify themselves.[13]

Commerce platforms such as Amazon and Etsy made moves to take down merchandise showing support, and GoFundMe banned campaigns raising funds in support of Mangione.[13]

Connection to Other Fannish Activity

In a Wired article published on December 10th, writer Angela Watercutter speculated that the Internet's obsession with the case demonstrated "a new form of fandom."[3] While the mainstream virality of the case might appear novel, this is far from the first time an individual has gained admirers for actions deemed transgressive by wider society.

If the fandom around the Adjustor and Mangione is understood as modern day folklore, one can easily compare this case to other dating back over a century. In a journal article published in 1990, Dr. Paul Kooistra wrote, "Such symbols emerge when the rational, formal, bureaucratic justice of the state fails to reflect popular conceptions of justice.  These symbolic figures are endemic in any culturally complex state society, although usually their appeal is to a small and relatively powerless public.  But at times when the perception of law as unjust is widespread, the heroic criminal may emerge as a national figure of epic proportions."[15]  Kooistra further explores this phenomenon through the case studies of Jesse James (1847-1882), William "'Billy the Kid" Bonney (1859-1881), John Dillinger (1903-1934), and Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd (1904-1934).[15] Other criminals such as the Great Depression-era outlaw couple of Clyde Barrow (1909-1934) and Bonnie Parker (1910-1934) as well as Chicago Outfit boss Al Capone (1899-1947) have captured the attention and imagination of the American public, becoming part of the cultural zeitgeist as well.

In an article for Slate, historian Elliott Gorn compares the phenomenon surrounding the case to other famous American folk heroes.[16]

When viewed through the lens of historical precedent, the support shown for the Adjustor and Mangione is not surprising.

Resources & External Links

References

  1. ^ https://www.reuters.com/world/us/unitedhealthcare-ceo-fatally-shot-ny-post-reports-2024-12-04/
  2. ^ https://bsky.app/profile/kaylan.bsky.social/post/3lcsvo432g22x
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c https://www.wired.com/story/internet-culture-luigi-mangione-major-shift-fandom/
  4. ^ https://www.reuters.com/world/us/investigators-question-man-connection-with-unitedhealth-exec-killing-reports-say-2024-12-09/
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-suspect-photos-internet-reaction-1235194379/
  6. ^ https://www.thedailybeast.com/luigi-mangione-folk-hero-status-cemented-with-offers-to-pay-legal-fees/
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/07/nyregion/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-suspect.html
  8. ^ https://www.reddit.com/r/AO3/comments/1hbnet5/does_your_fandom_has_a_luigi_mangione_fic_what/?captcha=1
  9. ^ https://www.reddit.com/r/Fauxmoi/comments/1h90m3y/a_united_healthcare_ceo_shooter_lookalike/?rdt=49749
  10. ^ https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/1h90mee/a_united_healthcare_ceo_shooter_lookalike/
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b https://www.complex.com/life/a/treyalston/uhc-ceo-shooter-look-alike-contest
  12. ^ https://apnews.com/article/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-delay-deny-defend-depose-ee73ceb19f361835c654f04a3b88c50c
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b c https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/social-media-users-obsessing-united-healthcare-ceo-murder-suspect-psychologist-weighed-in/77-acd78954-0b03-44e4-89cc-f1a41a3b064a
  14. ^ https://www.yahoo.com/news/luigi-mangione-charged-murder-then-004806354.html
  15. ^ Jump up to: a b https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/si.1990.13.2.217
  16. ^ https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/12/luigi-mangione-manifesto-unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson.html
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