Luigi Mangione, at the centre of a high-profile investigation into the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was once celebrated as the valedictorian of his 2016 graduating class at The Gilman School, a prestigious institution in North Baltimore.
A video from Mangione’s speech at the Gilman Founder’s Day Ceremony has recently resurfaced, gaining viral attention. In his speech, he can be heard expressing plans to study AI at the University of Pennsylvania.
As per the Baltimore Banner, Mangione was recognised as a bright and inventive student with the courage to explore uncharted territories during his time at school.
School officials praised him during the 2016 graduation ceremonies for embodying creativity and dedication.
He also made an impact outside the classroom, referencing cherished moments such as participating in the school production of ‘The Addams Family’ and celebrating football victories against rival McDonough during his speech at the Gilman Founder’s Day Ceremony.
Academic aspirations at Penn
Mangione carried his ambition to the University of Pennsylvania, where he pursued engineering with a focus on computer science.
Inspired by his early fascination with independent video games, he not only honed his programming skills but also founded a student club that developed video games.
Speaking to Penn Today, Mangione explained his passion: “In high school, I started playing a lot of independent games and stuff like that, but I wanted to make my own game, and so I learned how to code.” His initiative and dedication earned him recognition within the university community.
According to The Baltimore Banner, the recent news about Mangione has left his alma mater in shock. Henry P A Smyth, Head of School at Gilman, expressed his dismay in an email to the school community, stating, “This is deeply distressing news on top of an already awful situation. Our hearts go out to everyone affected.”
Now, Mangione finds himself at the centre of a criminal investigation, named as a person of interest in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Authorities revealed that he was arrested in possession of a manifesto, a ghost gun, and multiple fake IDs, raising questions about how a once-promising valedictorian’s journey took such a dark turn.
