The morning of December 4, 2024, wasn't just another cold Wednesday in Midtown Manhattan. It was the day the corporate world stopped spinning for a second. If you’ve spent any time online recently, you’ve probably seen snippets or heard about the UnitedHealthcare CEO full video. It is a chilling piece of surveillance footage that captures the final moments of Brian Thompson, the 50-year-old executive who led the insurance giant.
Watching it feels surreal. You see Thompson walking toward the New York Hilton Midtown for an investor conference. He’s alone. No security. Just a guy in a suit heading to work at 6:44 a.m. Then, the camera catches a figure emerging from behind a parked car.
The footage that shocked the nation
Honestly, the most haunting part of the UnitedHealthcare CEO full video isn't just the act itself; it’s the clinical precision. The shooter wasn't some panicked amateur. He waited. He trailed Thompson. When he opened fire, his gun—a suppressed 9mm pistol—jammed.
Most people would bolt right then.
Instead, the video shows the gunman calmly clearing the jam. He cycles the slide manually and continues. It’s that specific detail—the lack of hesitation—that led investigators to believe this was a highly planned, "brazen, targeted attack," as NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch later put it. Thompson was hit in the back and the calf. He collapsed on the sidewalk while the shooter walked past him and disappeared into the gray New York morning.
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Who was the man in the mask?
For days, the internet was obsessed with every frame of the surveillance. We saw the suspect at a Starbucks two blocks away, buying a coffee and a granola bar at 6:17 a.m. He even smiled for a camera at a hostel check-in. Eventually, the trail led to a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
That’s where police arrested 26-year-old Luigi Mangione.
When he was caught, he wasn't exactly keeping a low profile. He had a 3D-printed "ghost gun" and a suppressor that matched the one in the video. But the weirdest part? He had a manifesto. He had "delay," "deny," and "depose" written on the shell casings—a direct nod to the frustrations millions of Americans feel toward the health insurance industry.
The legal battle in 2026
Fast forward to right now, January 2026. The case is still a massive mess in the courts. Just a few days ago, on January 9, 2026, Mangione appeared in a Manhattan federal court. His lawyers are fighting tooth and nail to get evidence thrown out. They’re arguing the search of his backpack in Pennsylvania was illegal because the cops didn't have a warrant yet.
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They also want the death penalty off the table.
It’s a polarized situation. Outside the courthouse, you’ll see people wearing green—a color that has somehow become a symbol for his supporters—carrying "Free Luigi" signs. It’s wild to think that a video of a literal homicide has turned the suspect into a sort of folk hero for people angry at the healthcare system.
What the "Full Video" actually reveals
If you’re looking for the UnitedHealthcare CEO full video, you’re mostly going to find the version released by the NYPD or news outlets like CBS and NBC. They’ve blurred the most graphic parts out of respect for the family, but the raw movement tells the story.
- The Prep: The shooter arrives in NYC via a Greyhound bus from Atlanta.
- The Wait: He lingers outside the Hilton for several minutes, knowing exactly when Thompson would arrive.
- The Escape: He didn't run; he hopped on an e-bike and rode into Central Park.
Police found a backpack near the Central Park Carousel containing Monopoly money and a jacket. It felt like a taunt. The surveillance network in New York is one of the most sophisticated in the world, yet Mangione managed to slip out of the city and make it all the way to Pennsylvania before a sharp-eyed witness at a McDonald's recognized his eyebrows from the news photos.
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Why this case won't go away
Basically, this isn't just a "true crime" story. It’s a lightning rod. Brian Thompson was a father of two and a well-liked colleague, but he also represented a company that many people blame for their own medical debt or denied claims.
The trial is likely to be one of the most watched events of 2026. We are currently waiting on Judge Margaret Garnett to decide if that journal found in his bag—the one where he reportedly wrote about "wacking" an executive—can be used as evidence. If it stays in, the "terrorism" aspect of the charges (which was previously dismissed in state court but persists in other forms) might define the whole proceedings.
What you should know next
If you're following this story, keep an eye on the evidentiary hearings in Manhattan. The outcome of the motion to suppress the backpack contents will likely determine whether Mangione faces life in prison or a potential death sentence. You can check the latest updates through the NYPD’s public information office or major New York news desks, as new footage from the hostel and the transit system is frequently being analyzed by legal experts to determine Mangione's state of mind leading up to the morning of December 4.
Review the official NYPD timeline of the suspect's movements to see how surveillance technology was used to track the e-bike path from Midtown to the George Washington Bridge.