A high school valedictorian and Ivy League graduate, Mangione’s life had seemed to follow a promising trajectory. He had attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned degrees in computer science and mathematics. After graduation, Mangione worked as a software engineer, and had moved to Hawaii for a time, where he lived in a co-living space while working remotely. But in the months leading up to the fatal shooting, he had become increasingly withdrawn, with little to no contact from those who had once been close to him.
A former roommate, R.J. Martin, remembered Mangione as sociable and thoughtful, someone who would enjoy activities like hiking and yoga. But Martin also recalled how, after a surfing accident in Hawaii, Mangione struggled with intense back pain that left him unable to do even basic activities for several weeks. “It was really hard for him,” Martin said. “He was in his early twenties and couldn’t even move without pain.”
“I think he was really frustrated,” Martin said. “You could see it in his posts—he was talking a lot about his health problems and how they were impacting his life.” But this frustration appeared to extend beyond just physical pain. His online activity began to show a growing disillusionment with society. Mangione’s posts, once filled with travel photos and fitness updates, shifted toward more philosophical and political discussions. On Goodreads, Mangione shared a review of the Unabomber manifesto, acknowledging its violent nature but claiming that some of its criticisms of modern society were “prescient.”
The Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski, was a domestic terrorist who carried out a series of deadly bombings over nearly two decades, targeting individuals involved with modern technology. In his manifesto, Kaczynski called for a revolution against industrial society, promoting the idea that technology and industrialization were corrupting human life. Mangione’s review of the manifesto was strikingly sympathetic, with the young man acknowledging Kaczynski’s violence while suggesting that some of his concerns about modern technology and capitalism were valid. Mangione’s comments seemed to reflect a sense of anger and disillusionment with the world around him, something that would later be echoed in the note he was found carrying at the time of his arrest.
While this interest in radical ideas may have raised some eyebrows, it was his sudden silence on social media that truly alarmed friends. For years, Mangione had been an active online presence, frequently posting about his intellectual interests, including artificial intelligence and psychedelics. But by mid-2023, he had stopped posting altogether. Friends began reaching out, but their messages went unanswered. “Nobody has heard from you in months, and apparently your family is looking for you,” one concerned user posted on X (formerly Twitter) in October. Another wrote, “I don’t know if you are okay,” echoing growing anxiety about his well-being.
In the weeks before the shooting, Mangione’s social media presence seemed to vanish entirely. A user on X, unaware of the coming tragedy, posted, “Thinking of you and praying every day in your name. Know you are missed and loved.” But despite these pleas, no one seemed to have any contact with Mangione.
Police would later reveal that Mangione had been carrying a 3D-printed pistol and silencer at the time of his arrest, along with a handwritten note that expressed disdain for corporate America, specifically targeting the “parasites” he blamed for society’s ills. The note suggested that Mangione’s violent actions were motivated, at least in part, by a deep frustration with the corporate world—a theme that had been evident in his posts and in his growing isolation.
Mangione’s family, who had once been pillars of the local business community, were shocked by the allegations. His grandfather, Nicholas Mangione, built a real estate empire in Maryland, and the family had long been known for their philanthropic contributions. Mangione himself had worked at the family’s nursing home chain, Lorien Health Systems, during high school. He was a graduate of the prestigious Gilman School in Baltimore and had been the class valedictorian. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 2020, and was active in the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. His professional life included a role as a software engineer at TrueCar, an online car sales company, before his sudden disappearance from the public eye.
Despite his family’s wealth and social status, Mangione’s life had not been without struggle. In addition to his back pain, he had faced personal challenges, including health issues like Lyme disease and cognitive difficulties. Mangione had discussed these struggles on social media, describing the mental fog that had affected his ability to focus and perform well academically during his college years. These health challenges appeared to deepen his sense of frustration with the medical system and the world around him.
In retrospect, his friends and family could not pinpoint a single event that led to his violent outburst. “He was always a thoughtful, introspective person,” one former friend said. “He just seemed to be getting more and more frustrated with everything. It’s like he just snapped.” The person added that Mangione had never shown any interest in violence or guns before, further deepening the mystery of his actions.
Now, as authorities investigate the motives behind Mangione’s deadly shooting of Brian Thompson, those who knew him are left trying to make sense of the drastic turn his life took. How did a young man with such a promising future—one with access to resources, a good education, and a supportive family—end up committing such an extreme and violent act?
For those who once called him a friend or colleague, the answer is elusive. “I can’t make sense of it,” said R.J. Martin. “It’s just something I never saw coming. It doesn’t fit with the person I knew.”
As the investigation continues, the Mangione family, once proud of their son and cousin, is now left grappling with the devastating consequences of his actions. For them, as well as for everyone who knew Luigi Mangione, the questions remain: What happened to him, and how did someone so promising spiral into violence?
