#FreeLuigi Trends as Support Surges for CEO Murder Suspect Luigi Mangione

Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old man detained in connection with the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is garnering a surge of online support following his arrest.

As news spread online Monday that police had arrested a person of interest in the case, thousands of users on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and Reddit voiced their backing for Mangione. Some have even hailed him as a hero, while others have called for his release.

Police detained Mangione on Monday morning in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after a McDonald's employee recognized him from widely circulated images. Authorities charged him with firearms possession but noted that he remains a "strong person of interest" in Thompson's murder. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenny said Mangione was found with a ghost gun, a suppressor, and a manifesto critical of the American healthcare system.

Despite the seriousness of the charges, many on social media users have taken a strikingly flippant stance on the cold-blooded public execution of an American insurance executive, highlighting a consensus among people of all political stripes that the country's healthcare industry is deeply broken.

After Mangione's name was released by police, thousands flocked to Mangione's alleged accounts — @PepMangione on X and @luigi.from.fiji on Instagram — boosting his follower count into the tens of thousnads. Supporters have flooded his old posts with messages of encouragement.

On X, the hashtag #FreeLuigi has gained momentum, with some portraying him as a vigilante challenging perceived injustices in the healthcare system. One user, @circlesthots, tweeted, "he's only guilty of being hot. #FreeLuigi," a sentiment echoed by others focusing on Mangione's appearance rather than the crime he is alleged to have committed.

Another user, @pyramuscrypto, wrote, "Now the real news should be who is the class traitor that snitched on Luigi Mangione"

The reaction has been fueled by memes and pop culture references. One widely shared image features a still from HBO's The Sopranos with the caption, "In this house, Luigi Mangione is a hero, end of story." Another X user, @NathanaelPena89, posted simply, "Luigi Mangione is my hero!!!"

Amid the flood of support for Mangione, some users have gone a step further by calling for financial support. On X, user @nfrcam jokingly speculated about crowdfunding, writing, "They just found the Manhattan shooter, Luigi Mangione, and arrested him in PA and my only question is... does he have a GoFundMe?"

In fact, an online fundraiser for the suspect's legal fees had already gone up in the days after the shooting, though it has received only $100 as of Monday afternoon.

The groundswell of online support is a reflection of the growing dissatisfaction with the health insurance industry. Bullet casings found at the crime scene were marked with the words "depose," "deny," and "delay," which some interpret as a reference to the bureaucratic tactics used by insurance companies to reject medical claims.

This perceived connection has resonated with many social media users, including healthcare workers. On TikTok, one emergency room nurse said, "I'm an ER nurse, and the things I've seen dying patients get denied for by insurance make me physically sick. I just can't feel sympathy for [Brian Thompson] because of all those patients and their families." The video garnered thousands of likes and comments echoing the nurse's sentiment.

The conversation also extended to Reddit, where users on the r/centrist subreddit debated the public's reaction to the killing. While some expressed unease, many others voiced little sympathy for Thompson. One commenter called the incident a "warning call" for corporate America.

"The health system is a scam, and somebody finally snapped," one Reddit user put it bluntly. Another remarked that the tragedy is already driving industry change, suggesting that at least one major healthcare provider had rolled back a controversial policy.

"It's scary, but I'm not surprised something like this finally bubbled up," another user wrote. "It's akin to pitchforks and torches. The health system is a scam, and somebody finally snapped."

Another user added, "Whether it will result in any meaningful or lasting change to the system... let's see. I'd like to be hopeful, but I know how this world works."

While many have praised Mangione, others are concerned about the implications of the public's response. The wave of support mirrors a broader modern-day trend in which individuals accused of extreme acts of violence receive "folk hero" status online.

According to the Network Contagion Research Institute, which tracks extremism and online trends, six of the top 10 most-engaged posts on X about the shooting "either expressed explicit or implicit support for the killing or denigrated the victim."

Thompson left behind two sons and a wife, who said in a statement that her family was left "shattered" by the "senseless killing of our beloved Brian."

"Brian was an incredibly loving, generous, talented man who truly lived life to the fullest and touched so many lives," Paulette Thompson, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

Experts say the public's reaction reflects growing societal discontent with the healthcare system. Online comments suggest that the industry's profit-driven model has sparked widespread frustration, with many now viewing Mangione as a symbolic figure challenging the system rather than a vigilante murderer.

"Psychologically, several factors contribute to this behavior," Nicole Paulie, the mental health clinical lead at Spectrum Life, a provider of digital health solutions for insurers, employers, and universities, told Newsweek.

"Deindividuation often plays a role on social media, where the anonymity and physical detachment from others make people less aware of the human impact of their words, she added."

Thompson was killed last Wednesday in what police said was a "brazen, targeted" attack as he walked alone to the Hilton in Midtown Manhattan from a nearby hotel, where UnitedHealthcare's parent company, UnitedHealth Group, was holding its annual investor conference.