‘Free Luigi’ Chants in NYC, Kirk Killing Underscore US Divisions

Sept. 17, 2025, 3:53 PM UTC

The scenes at the Manhattan courthouse illustrated the sharp divides searing American society: Inside, a shackled Luigi Mangione sat solemnly facing state murder charges over the shooting of a health-insurance executive, who left behind a wife and two children.

Outside, dozens of Mangione fans were cheering him. They waved Italian flags and sported T-shirts saying “Free Luigi” and “Cougars for Luigi.”

WATCH: A New York state judge dismissed the most serious charges against Luigi Mangione but allowed some murder counts to stand, ruling that the evidence was insufficient to charge him with an act of terrorism. Myles Miller reports on “Bloomberg Open Interest.” Source: Bloomberg

Mangione, accused of killing UnitedHealth Group Inc. executive Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel last year, has been held up as a hero to those who consider the shooting a form of justice against the ...

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