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Luigi Mangione, the suspect in last week's fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, may have left a subtle clue with a picture of a Pokémon card on his social media.
On Monday, police revealed that 26-year-old Mangione was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel.
New York prosecutors have charged Mangione with murder after he was apprehended on weapons charges in Altoona, Pennsylvania. He was recognized by a McDonald's employee early Monday morning, leading to his capture.
Police found that he was carrying a firearm, a fake New Jersey ID that matched the one the suspect used to check into a New York hostel, and identification with his real name.
A picture posted on Mangione's social media account shows a Pokémon card featuring Breloom, the 286th Pokémon in the official Pokémon Pokédex. The number "286" has caught the attention of internet sleuths.
Social media users have pointed out the connection between the suspect and 286.
The number appears to correspond to the exact number of tweets made by Mangione on his personal Twitter account before he was caught by the authorities.
The sheer frequency with which the number has appeared in relation to Mangione has led some to believe that the number could be tied to the crime.
Internet sleuths have taken the investigation into their own hands, meticulously analyzing Mangione's online posts, looking for any patterns or hidden meanings.
One user pointed out the connection to the Bible Proverbs 28:6 which states: "Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways."
One use on X, formerly known as Twitter, said that the number "isn't a coincidence anymore, it's calculated" and pointed out the connection to a denial code.
Denial code 286 is applied when a healthcare claim is denied due to not meeting the appeal time limits. This indicates that the healthcare provider or billing entity failed to submit an appeal within the designated timeframe after receiving the claim denial. As a result, the claim is rejected for not adhering to the required appeal deadline.
Some social media users viewed the shooter as a "Robin Hood" figure as they railed against executives who profit at the expense of Americans in need of healthcare. The victim, Thompson, worked for UnitedHealthcare until his death.
One TikTok user says that the killing, although "horrific" has caused the world to "collectively shrug," due to the fact so many people are denied healthcare support in the U.S.
Speaking about the killing in a video to his 2 million followers, another TikTok creator called Danesh, who uses the handle @thatdaneshguy said: "I don't have to encourage violence. I don't have to condone violence by any means. But I also don't have to help."
After Luigi Mangione's arrest on Monday, Maryland lawmaker Nino Mangione, his cousin, posted a statement from the family on social media.
"Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione. We only know what we have read in the media," the family said.
The statement continued: "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."
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About the writer
Billal Rahman is an immigration reporter based in London, U.K. He specializes in immigration policy and border security. He has ... Read more