Luigi Mangione has been charged with murder as an act of terrorism after prosecutors upgraded the complaint against him in New York on Tuesday.
A grand jury indicted Mangione on 11 counts, including first-degree murder and murder as a crime of terrorism, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told reporters.
Mangione, 26, faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted on all counts.
The counts were issued in the slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson as prosecutors work to bring Mangione to a New York court from a Pennsylvania jail.
Bragg said Thompson’s death “was a killing that was intended to evoke terror” as further details are being made public about accused Mangione and his recent past.
Mangione already was charged with murder in the December 4 killing of Brian Thompson, but the terror allegation is new.
Bragg told a news conference Thompson’s death on a midtown Manhattan street, “was a frightening, well-planned, targeted murder that was intended to cause shock and attention and intimidation.
“It occurred in one of the most bustling parts of our city, threatened the safety of local residents and tourists alike, commuters and businesspeople just starting out on their day.”
RELATED: “Are Americans Treated Fairly by Their Insurance Companies?” Journos Advance Murderer’s Concerns
Mangione’s New York lawyer, Karen Friedman Agnifilo, declined to comment.
