John Wick, Robin Hood and the Gotham City Joker — Luigi Mangione has inspired many comparisons since United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot dead in New York City.
Mangione, a 26-year-old Ivy League graduate, was dramatically captured after five days on the run near a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, 300 miles west from the midtown Manhattan street where Brian was killed.
As well as being in possession gun, bullets, multiple fake IDs and cash, he also had a handwritten document that showed ‘ill will’ towards corporate America, police have said.
As New York prosecutors filed a murder charge against the valedictorian, scathing reviews rolled in on the McDonald’s location where he was spotted. ‘This fast food restaurant houses a traitor among its employees,’ the first review said. ‘The working class has betrayed humanity.’
Mangione has gripped public imagination since his face was first seen in a grainy CCTV image from the back of a taxi. Social media is awash with tributes to the so-called anti-capitalist, while online stores have been flooded with T-shirts, mugs and other merchandise praising the alleged gunman.
This unprecedented wave of support – even before Mangione was dubbed the ‘hot suspect’ – offers a fascinating glimpse into the collective psyche of modern society.
Psychologist Emma Kenny told Metro this reaction shows ‘the complex interplay of emotions, societal distrust, and cultural influences’ that have led to this outpouring of support.
‘At the heart of this is a deeply ingrained mistrust of authority and the establishment,’ she said.
‘When a figure like Brian Thompson, who symbolised corporate power and profit, meets a violent end, it becomes less about the crime and more about what he represented.
‘Over the past few decades, many individuals have felt increasingly disenfranchised, unable to reconcile their lived experiences with a system they perceive as rigged against them.
‘People are projecting their frustrations onto his killer, romanticising them as a champion of the oppressed, regardless of the morality of their actions.’
Kenny said it is not so much about people ignoring the crime as it is about ‘a shared narrative of rebellion,’ which was amplified further on social media.
She said the ‘man of the people’ archetype evokes a sense of catharsis for those who feel voiceless.
On TikTok, users have been creating montages of the suspect in scenes from the first John Wick movie, which stars Keanu Reeves as an assassin who seeks revenge on a criminal underworld after they kill his dog.
Over on X, people have offering to pay for his legal defence, further proving that he has got the ‘popular vote’.
‘For many, this is not about justice but retribution and revenge, a symbolic win against an otherwise impenetrable system,’ Kenny said.
‘Psychologically, it is a way of reclaiming agency, albeit in a misguided and dangerous form.’
Support for ‘anti-establishment’ figures has also appeared elsewhere in other cases.
TikTok influencer Aris Yeager rose to fame in 2022 with his alter-ego ‘The European Kid’ and his online persona, Louis, the spoiled son of an ultrarich family who flaunts his wealth in nightclubs.
His satirical content – showing him buying a New York City apartment and sailing on superyachts – addresses themes of political disenfranchisement, which has fuelled populist movements across Europe.
Meanwhile Irish gang boss Gerry Hutch – a notorious figure in Dublin’s criminal underworld – tried to leverage anti-establishment sentiment during his 2024 bid for parliament.
Presenting as an outsider, he attracted voters disillusioned with traditional political parties, but narrowly missed on a seat.
Kenny said they serve as a ‘rallying point’ for the people who are fed up with systemic inequities.
‘These individuals aren’t necessarily admired for their moral compass but for their willingness to challenge the status quo,’ she said.
‘Their popularity lies in their ability to embody rebellion, offering a vicarious thrill for followers who long to see the elite brought down a peg.’
Turning anti-establishment figures into ‘cultural icons’ is ‘dangerous’, the psychologist said.
‘Romanticising lawless behavior erodes the foundations of social order and creates an environment where crime can be justified under the guise of moral retribution.
‘This kind of unchecked support can embolden others to commit similar acts, leading to a potential escalation of violence and societal division.
‘Moreover, by turning these individuals into cultural icons, society risks oversimplifying the root causes of inequality and discontent.
‘Supporting these figures may feel like a rebellion, but it does little to address the systemic issues at the heart of people’s frustrations. It’s a distraction, a quick emotional fix that ignores the need for meaningful, sustainable change.
‘The outpouring of support for Brian Thompson’s alleged killer is a clear sign of a society on the brink of a deeper divide.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
