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Culture > News

To Many Gen Zers, The “Hot Assassin” Memes Are More Than Just Jokes

Kenzie Nguyen

On the morning of Dec. 4, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot and killed. Following a multi-day manhunt for a suspect, 26-year-old University of Pennsylvania graduate Luigi Mangione was arrested on Dec. 9 at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, after an employee and a patron — who thought he looked similar to the photos of the shooter that had been circulating the internet for days — tipped off authorities. Currently, Mangione is being held in Pennsylvania for the alleged possession of an unlicensed firearm and allegedly presenting false identification to the police, and New York is charging Mangione with five counts, including murder and criminal possession of a weapon, according to online court documents. Mangione has not confessed to any crimes, nor has he been convicted, but regardless, the internet is already widely considering him the face of this news story. 

Mangione has also become the face of the many memes about this news story. Mere moments after the news of Thompson’s murder broke on Dec. 4, memes about the incident swept the internet, and they have only picked up steam as events have unfolded over the past week. With tweets and TikToks containing unabashed thirst over Mangione, refusals to help the police, and jokes about class consciousness taking over people’s timelines, the cognitive dissonance between the gravity of this situation and the internet’s seemingly lightheard approach to it is very apparent — but for younger generations like Gen Z, it’s not surprising. 

“We live in a social media-driven world right now,” Zach Thomson, a college junior, tells Her Campus in an exclusive interview. “So, I don’t think [the memes] are totally shocking. I don’t think it’s good, but I’m not surprised.” 

But while memes are inherently unserious, the memes about this incident reveal some serious insights into Gen Z’s frustrations with society. Yes, Mangione is conventionally attractive, and people are making really flippant comments about a murder suspect. And yes, this incident has enough twists and turns that discussing it online may feel more like live-tweeting an action-packed season finale of a prestige crime drama rather than talking about real life. But these memes serve a purpose larger than just entertainment value — they’re one of the only ways many young people feel they can voice their discontent and powerlessness when it comes to health care and living conditions in this country. 

Going into the 2024 presidential election, health care was a consistent top issue for young people, as evidenced by multiple Her Campus surveys of Gen Z voters. Further, according to a 2024 KFF Health Tracking Poll, 48% of voters said they were in favor of lowering out-of-pocket healthcare payments, as one in four American adults skip out on receiving necessary health care due to the cost. Also in 2024, 41% of adults said they have a large amount of healthcare debt, and 48% of Americans who do have health insurance face stress due to health insurance affordability. Hardships regarding the American health care system are especially felt by those within the lower-to-middle class, as well as among Black and Latinx adults, as over half of the population within these communities remain uninsured. 

For many, health care insurance companies are seen as the enemy. In 2023, UnitedHealthcare was sued for using faulty AI that denied necessary medical coverage for elderly patients. And in 2022, the company denied 8.7% of medical claims filed by elderly patients — the second highest in comparison to other health insurance companies. 

Thompson’s murder was a horrific crime, and has become symbolic of a much larger debate within the United States. “The younger generations are in an almost united stance against the health care system,” Evan Atchison, a college junior, says. “[The killer] was very much able to play into that, and create this heroic narrative from what he did — even though, in my opinion, it’s not very heroic at all.” 

Despite the charges Mangione is facing, some can’t help but see themselves in him due to the distress they face from their own health care circumstances. “He’s just another example of someone who’s been disenfranchised by the health care industry,” Mary Yelick, a college junior, says. “I think that is part of why people have been uniting around him.” 

Murder is a serious act with serious consequences, so what does it say about those who seem to be glorifying it? As Yelick puts it, “[People in power] need to see that if people are so willing to back someone who could shoot someone cold-blooded, that there’s something to his message.”

Kenzie Nguyen is the Her Campus Fall News and Politics Intern. This semester, she’ll be covering all things on the presidential election, current events, and trending news. She’s very excited to be working with Her Campus, and is looking forward to engaging with the Her Campus community. Outside of Her Campus, Kenzie is also an Executive Editor at The Olaf Messenger, St. Olaf’s student newspaper. She is currently pursuing a degree in English with a concentration in International Relations as an aspiring journalist. In her free time, she loves watching reality TV, going to the movies (Cherry Coke and popcorn is the best movie snack combo, FYI), and hanging out at her college town’s local coffee shop (Goodbye Blue Monday) and bookstore (Content) — which she highly recommends if you’re ever in Northfield, Minn.