Shockingly high number of young voters say UnitedHealthcare CEO's murder was "acceptable"

Brian Thompson (UnitedHealthcare)

An alarming number of young voters say the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was "acceptable."

Forty-one percent of voters between the ages of 18 and 29 found the actions of Luigi Mangione, the man suspected of killing Thompson in New York City, acceptable, according to an Emerson College poll

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However, another 40% of young voters thought Mangione’s actions were unacceptable, while 24% said his actions were "somewhat acceptable" and 17% said they were "completely acceptable." 

While some voters felt Mangione’s actions were acceptable, older groups of voters did not agree with his actions, with most voters (68%) saying the actions of Mangione against Thompson were unacceptable, while 17% of voters found them acceptable. 

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Separately, men (19%) found Mangione’s actions slightly more acceptable than women (14%). And among political parties, approximately 22% of Democrats found Mangione’s actions acceptable, while 59% found them unacceptable. And Republicans, 12% found the actions acceptable while 16% of independents said the same.

Mangione, 26, killed Thompson, 50, on Dec. 4 while the CEO was walking to a hotel where UnitedHealthcare — the United States' biggest medical insurer — was holding an investor conference, the Associated Press reported. 

Mangione was found on Dec. 9 at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and was arrested and later charged with murder. 

Citing a law enforcement bulletin obtained by the Associated Press, the news outlet reported that Mangione was motivated by his anger with what he called "parasitic" health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed. 

Crime and Public Safety