A TikTok influencer has come under fire for mocking the recent murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The 55-year-old executive was fatally shot outside a Manhattan hotel on December 4, and the suspect, Luigi Mangione, was arrested days later at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania. While Thompson’s family mourns his death, the influencer’s controversial impersonation of the alleged killer has sparked widespread criticism.
“Clarification” by the influencer takes a mocking turn
The influencer, known online as Goobi Gubbi, initially posted a video statement distancing himself from the crime after some social media users suggested a resemblance between him and Mangione. “To people on the hunt, it is not me. I am not him. He is not me,” Gubbi declared in the video, urging viewers to “realign the flanks” and avoid false accusations. The post, which garnered over 188,000 likes, initially seemed to strike a serious tone.
However, Gubbi soon shifted gears, using the incident to create comedic skits. In one video, he parodied the moment Mangione was arrested, mimicking the suspect’s grin as he was taken into custody. In another, he involved his family in a staged reenactment. His latest clip even addressed filmmaker Ryan Murphy, creator of Netflix’s Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, jokingly claiming, “I knew him in college” and that he once “bought Christmas lights off him.”
Backlash over insensitivity
While Gubbi appeared amused by his content, viewers expressed outrage. “So is this where we’re at as a country now?” one user commented. Another added, “This is disgusting. Making fun of a tragic loss is just wrong.” Critics also called for consequences, with one stating, “What a clown. Hope you’re actually taken in as a person of interest.”
Gubbi’s actions have reignited debates over the ethics of leveraging real-life tragedies for online content. As the Thompson family continues to grieve, the influencer’s videos remain a contentious point in the broader conversation about social media accountability.
