Luigi Mangione was a fan of 'assassins' video game, claims friend

A friend of Luigi Mangione, who has been charged with the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, claimed Mangione would play an 'assassins' game with him and others.

Thompson was shot dead in broad daylight outside a hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday (4 December) and a manhunt for his killer was underway for days before Mangione was arrested on Monday (9 December).

Mangione is said to have played popular 'assassins' game Among Us with friends, where some players have to secretly kill others in space while others try to avoid suspicion, reports NBC News.

Alejandro Romero attended the University of Pennsylvania with Mangione and was a member of the same Discord group as Mangione; Romero said he was shocked when the news broke.

He told NBC News: "I just found it extremely ironic that, you know, we were in this game and there could actually be a true killer among us.

"As soon as his photo and name popped up on X (formerly Twitter), my friend texted me asking if I knew him, and then either I was calling some 10 friends or they were calling me.

"I didn't speak to anybody today who wasn't already aware of what had happened."

Luigi Mangione (pictured centre) has been charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson / FOX News Channel via REUTERS

Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania after he was spotted eating at a McDonald's by a customer and an employee who believed he resembled the gunman, officials said at a news conference.

Authorities said he was found with a black 'ghost gun' - a firearm assembled from parts, making it untraceable - loaded with a magazine and a silencer along with fake IDs and a lot of money.

Prosecutors in New York brought a murder charge, along with four related gun charges, against Mangione, according to court records.

Mangione has not entered a plea to these charges at the time of writing.

The Mangione family shared a statement on X / Twitter on Wednesday (10 December) that said: "Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione. We only know what we have read in the media.

"Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi's arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.

"We are devastated by this news."

Additional reporting by Reuters.

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