People Cheered Accused CEO Shooter Luigi Mangione's Photos During a Dance Party

He's the unexpected and unlikely folk hero of 2024: Luigi Mangione. Accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Luigi is the rising star of the year whose increasing popularity is likely causing CEOs and corporate America as a whole to lose a lot of sleep.

During a Disney-themed dance party in Boston, one DJ went so far as to "give the people what they want" and displayed photos of Luigi over a Miley Cyrus song. It's a stunning juxtaposition that shows just how far Luigi has risen all for being accused of the murder of a CEO.

During a December 2024 Bop to the Top Tour concert in Boston, Luigi's photos made an unexpected appearance. The Disney-themed dance party had, up to that point, been unremarkable and had played to an excitable but fairly tame crowd.

Then the DJ said, "We've gotta give the people what they want," and cued up Miley Cyrus's "He Could Be the One."

While Miley's song belted out the lyrics, " He's got somethin' special / He's got somethin' special / I can hardly breathe, something's tellin' me / Tellin' me maybe he could be the one / He could be the one, he could be the one," the DJ pulled up a slideshow of photos from Luigi's social media accounts.

The crowd cheered and sang along as though dancing to an accused murderer's photos is just everyday life these days. And it seems as though it is.

While it's fairly common for serial killers like Ted Bundy to have a cult following, it's not exactly typical for people accused of murder to immediately steal the collective hearts of the internet.

So why is it that Luigi, accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in cold blood, is suddenly the world's favorite thirst trap? The reason is complicated, according to CBC.

First and foremost, he's the Ivy League-educated scion of a wealthy family and he has a flawless smile and curly black hair. On top of that, photos shared on social media show a handsome, physically fit young man enjoying life before his alleged run-in with Brian. Brian, on the other hand, was a wealthy and out-of-touch (easy to villainize) CEO.

But Luigi's appeal goes beyond that and treads into a "Robin Hood-esque" type of hero.

Luigi didn't steal anything from the rich to give to the poor, but he has seemingly given voice to a tired and frustrated group of people who feel ignored by the wealthy elite, especially in America.

By striking back, in their eyes, he has risked his life to send a message to the powerful corporate leaders who seem to live in gilded ivory towers and make choices that enrich themselves while endangering or even taking the lives of average people.

Across the internet, comment sections and merch show that he's become almost a folk hero. On Etsy, shops sell items that read, "In this house, Luigi Mangione is a hero," or, "Deny, defend, depose," which was allegedly carved into bullets found at the shooting scene.

Luigi merchandise, from the Super Mario Bros. video game franchise, has also sold out as people look to show their support in more subtle ways.

Luigi, whether intentionally or not, seems to have seized on the anger and frustration of the unheard and has given them a voice. To those who feel trampled by corporate America, the crime he is accused of makes Luigi the vigilante hero they've been longing for.