Murder As An Act Of Terrorism, Fed's Rate Cut Decision, Female Mass Shooters

Summary

Up First from NPR – Episode Summary Release Date: December 18, 2024

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1. Murder Classified as an Act of Terrorism

Overview: In a shocking development, Luigi Mangione has been indicted for the murder of Brian Thompson, the CEO of United Healthcare. The charges filed by prosecutors in New York City explicitly label the killing as an act of terrorism, emphasizing the intent to instill fear.

Key Points:

• Terrorism Classification:

  • Michelle Martin opens the discussion by stating, "Charges in the murder of a health care CEO include the word terrorism in its most basic terms" (00:02).
  • Scott Horsley probes the rationale behind this classification, to which Sarah Ventri explains District Attorney Alvin Bragg's stance: "This was a killing that is intended to evoke terror" (02:46).

• Public Reaction and Online Celebration:

  • Sarah Ventri highlights concerns from New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch about the "social media erupted with praise" for Mangione's actions (02:54).
  • Steve Inskeep echoes these sentiments, describing the reactions as "vile, reckless, and offensive to our deeply held principles of justice" (03:22).

• Legal Proceedings and Extradition:

  • Mangione faces multiple charges, including first-degree murder, second-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and using a forged instrument (04:03).
  • Currently held in Pennsylvania, an extradition hearing is scheduled to potentially bring him to New York immediately following his preliminary hearing (04:53).

• Corporate Response:

  • UnitedHealth Group issued a statement: "This is an important step forward for seeking justice in the murder of our colleague Brian Thompson." They committed to assisting law enforcement in providing closure for Thompson’s family and associates (04:46).

Notable Quote:

"We have seen a shocking and appalling celebration of cold-blooded murder. And any attempt to rationalize this is vile, reckless, and offensive to our deeply held principles of justice." – Sarah Ventri (03:22)

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2. Federal Reserve’s Interest Rate Cut Decision

Overview: The Federal Reserve is set to announce its final interest rate cut of the year, aiming to lower borrowing costs amidst lingering inflation concerns and the upcoming Trump administration's economic policies.

Key Points:

• Rate Cut Details:

  • Michelle Martin introduces the topic, noting the anticipated decrease in the benchmark interest rate (05:45).
  • Steve Inskeep confirms that policymakers are expected to cut the rate by a quarter percentage point, marking the third reduction since September and bringing rates to one percentage point below summer levels (06:11).

• Inflation and Economic Balance:

  • Despite the reduction, Steve Inskeep emphasizes that "inflation has come down a lot in the last couple of years, but it's still higher than the Fed would like" (06:36).
  • Scott Horsley uses a vivid metaphor: "I feel like an MMA fighter who keeps getting inflation in a chokehold, waiting for it to tap out, yet it keeps slipping out of my grasp at the last minute" (07:02).

• Future Projections and Policy Implications:

  • The Fed is balancing the need to curb inflation with the potential drag high interest rates can impose on the economy. Chairman Jerome Powell indicated that the central bank can afford to "take their time" given the current economic strength and stable job market (07:17).
  • Policymakers are also expected to provide forecasts for interest rates in the coming year, potentially adjusting previous projections of a full percentage point decline by 2025 (08:02).

• Impact of Incoming Administration:

  • Steve Inskeep discusses how upcoming policies from President Elect Trump could influence inflation and economic strategies. Powell has maintained that Trump lacks the authority to remove him from his position, ensuring continuity in the Fed’s leadership until his term expires in 2026 (08:56).

Notable Quote:

"High interest rates do help curb inflation, but they can also be a drag on the economy. So the Fed is trying to strike a balance here." – Steve Inskeep (07:09)

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3. Female School Shooter in Wisconsin

Overview: A rare and disturbing incident unfolded in Wisconsin, where a 15-year-old girl carried out a school shooting, resulting in two fatalities and her own death. This event has sparked discussions about the profiles of mass shooters and the role of gender in such tragedies.

Key Points:

• Incident Details:

  • Michelle Martin reports on the unusual profile of the shooter, emphasizing her gender and age (09:36).
  • The shooter targeted two individuals before taking her own life, prompting a deeper examination of behavioral patterns in mass shootings.

• Research and Expert Analysis:

  • Katia Riddle interviews Gillian Peterson, Executive Director at the Violence Prevention Project Research Center, who notes the rarity of female shooters: "More troubled males are just more likely to perpetuate something like this" (10:35).
  • Peterson highlights that while males often exhibit outward aggression, females are more prone to internalizing emotions, leading to issues like depression and anxiety rather than external violence (10:35).

• Prevention and Profiling:

  • The discussion underscores the importance of not stereotyping shooters based on gender. Peterson advocates for focusing on individual trajectories and warning signs, such as access to firearms, history of self-harm, or indications of planning (11:22).
  • Jonathan Metzl, a gun violence expert at Vanderbilt University, reinforces that the shooter's gender is not the most critical factor, suggesting that the diversity of perpetrators is influenced by the widespread availability of guns (12:38).

• Statistical Context:

  • According to the Washington Post's School Shooting Tracker, over 30,000 children attended schools affected by gun violence this year, highlighting the pervasive nature of the issue despite the infrequency of female shooters (12:54).

Notable Quote:

"We tend to grab onto these ones that feel sort of unique and that don't fit the profile. And I think what I'm hoping will emerge is a deeper understanding of sort of her trajectory and her pathway." – Gillian Peterson (11:22)

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Conclusion

This episode of Up First delves into three critical issues: the classification of a high-profile murder as terrorism, the Federal Reserve’s strategic interest rate cuts amidst economic uncertainty, and the rare occurrence of a female school shooter, shedding light on broader societal and economic challenges.

For those seeking to stay informed on these pivotal topics, Up First provides a comprehensive and insightful overview, enriched with expert opinions and firsthand accounts.

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Note: If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out by calling or texting 988 to connect with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Transcript

[Michelle Martin]

Charges in the murder of a health care CEO include the word terrorism in.

[Steve Inskeep]

Its most basic terms.

[Michelle Martin]

This was a killing that is intended to evoke terror.

[Scott Horsley]

What do police say about the online celebration of the murder?

[Michelle Martin]

I'm Michelle Martin. That's Steve Inskeep. And this is up first from NPR News. The Federal Reserve considers one last cut in interest rates for the year.

[Scott Horsley]

The strength we're currently seeing in the economy gives us the ability to approach our decisions carefully.

[Michelle Martin]

Many people will be watching the Fed in the months ahead. President Elect Trump has talked of policies that economists associate with inflation.

[Scott Horsley]

Also, we explore something rare about a school shooting in Wisconsin. The shooter was a girl. What does this teach us about the profile of people who commit such acts? Stay with us. We've got the news. You need to start your day.

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[Scott Horsley]

When does a murder also qualify as an act of terrorism?

[Michelle Martin]

Prosecutors in New York City used that word as they wrote out the charges against Luigi Mangione. He was indicted yesterday for murder after the killing of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

[Scott Horsley]

NPR's Sarah Ventri is covering the aftermath of this story. New York Good morning.

[Sarah Ventri]

Good morning.

[Scott Horsley]

Okay, why call it terrorism?

[Sarah Ventri]

Well, understandably, there have been a lot of questions related to that. Here's Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg had to say at a press conference yesterday, you know, in its most basic terms.

[Scott Horsley]

This was a killing that is intended to evoke terror.

[Steve Inskeep]

And we've seen that reaction.

[Sarah Ventri]

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch also spoke at the press conference, and she was very concerned about the reaction to Thompson's killing. She says that social media, quote, erupted with praise, and she really wanted to emphasize that there was nothing to celebrate here. In the nearly two weeks since Mr. Thompson's killing, we have seen a shocking and appalling celebration of cold blooded murder. And any attempt to rationalize this is.

[Steve Inskeep]

Vile, reckless, and offensive to our deeply.

[Scott Horsley]

Held principles of justice. But it keeps going on. Is this right? There's been crowdfunding for Luigi Mangione's defense?

[Sarah Ventri]

Yeah, there has been of reporting about how the site GoFundMe has taken down fundraisers for Mangione. But other sites have raised quite a bit of money. One site says it has raised almost $150,000 as of this morning. And on that site, people posted comments about how they feel that the health care industry has let the American public down.

[Scott Horsley]

Okay, so that is the way that some people see this. Prosecutors see this as terrorism. What else do the charges say?

[Sarah Ventri]

Well, they were filed in the New York State Supreme Court, and they include one count of murder in the first degree and two counts of murder in the second degree. If he's found guilty, he could face life without the possibility of parole. Now, the other eight charges are related to criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument that was a New Jersey driver's license that was allegedly used to check into a hostel in New York. I reached out to Mangione's attorney in New York, but she declined to comment. NPR also reached out to UnitedHealth Group for comment. And the company said, quote, this is an important step forward for seeking justice in the murder of our colleague Brian Thompson. We will work with law enforcement authorities to help bring closure for Brian's family, friends, and colleagues.

[Scott Horsley]

Okay, so the suspect is not yet in New York. He's being held in Pennsylvania. How does he end up getting brought across state lines?

[Sarah Ventri]

Okay, so tomorrow there's going to be a preliminary hearing that is scheduled for him in Pennsylvania. That's for his Pennsylvania charges. Those include forgery, carrying a firearm without a license, and giving false identification to law enfor. Now, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said that immediately following that preliminary hearing, there's going to be an extradition hearing so that he can be brought to New York. He had previously been fighting that extradition. But Bragg said they have indications that Mangione may waive that hearing, in which case he would be brought to New York Immediately.

[Scott Horsley]

Okay. Npr, Sarah Ventri will continue following the story, whatever happens. Thanks so much, Sarah.

[Sarah Ventri]

Thank you.

[Scott Horsley]

The cost of borrowing money to buy a car or grow a business could get a little bit cheaper this afternoon.

[Michelle Martin]

Yes. The Federal Reserve is holding its last meeting of the year and policymakers are expected to lower their benchmark interest rate. The move comes at a time of declining but still sticky inflation and uncertainty about the incoming Trump administration.

[Scott Horsley]

NPR's Scott Horsley is covering this. As always, Scott, good morning.

[Steve Inskeep]

Good morning, Steve.

[Scott Horsley]

Okay, so I know that Fed governors tend to signal, try to not surprise people and signal what they may be doing. So what do you expect the Fed to do?

[Steve Inskeep]

Well, policymakers are expected to lower their benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point this afternoon. That'd be the third rate cut since September, and it would leave interest rates a full percentage point lower than they were back in the summer.

[Scott Horsley]

Okay. And I guess we should just remember here, interest rates are linked with inflation. That's the main tool the Fed has for battling inflation. They went up because inflation went up. Now interest rates are going down. Does that mean the battle against inflation is over?

[Steve Inskeep]

No. Inflation has come down a lot in the last couple of years, but it's still higher than the Fed would like. And in fact, some of the progress we've been seeing on prices appears to have stalled in the last few months. Fed Governor Chris Waller gave a speech earlier this month where he talked about just how stubborn inflation has proven to be.

[Scott Horsley]

I feel like an MMA fighter who keeps getting inflation in a chokehold, waiting for it to tap out, yet it keeps slipping out of my grasp at the last minute.

[Steve Inskeep]

Waller insisted, though, he and his colleagues are not going to let inflation out of the octagon until prices are completely under control.

[Scott Horsley]

I appreciate the metaphor. Thank you for extending it. But if inflation is that stubborn, why would the Fed cut interest rates again?

[Steve Inskeep]

Well, it's a balancing act. You know, high interest rates do help curb inflation, but they can also be a drag on the economy. So the Fed is trying to strike a balance here. Markets are betting the Fed is going to lower interest rates, interest rates today, and then after that, maybe take a break and see how things play out. Oftentimes the Fed doesn't have that luxury when it's faced with a sudden collapse in the economy like the pandemic or the housing crisis. But we're not dealing with a crisis like that right now. The overall economy is still strong. The job market's holding up pretty well. So Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said he and his colleagues can afford to take their time.

[Scott Horsley]

The economy is not sending any signals that we need to be in a hurry to lower rates. The strength we're currently seeing in the economy gives us the ability to approach our decisions carefully.

[Steve Inskeep]

One thing a lot of people will be watching this afternoon is the forecast that Fed policymakers offer about where they think interest rates are going to go next year. Back in September, they were projecting that rates would fall by another full percentage point in 2025. We'll see if they dial that back.

[Scott Horsley]

When you say the word forecast, of course, we're talking about a change in presidential administrations, a big, big change in some big economic policies or policies that relate to the economy. How is the Fed preparing for that?

[Steve Inskeep]

Carefully. You know, economists say some of the president elect's policies like tariffs and mass deportations could actually make inflation worse. Powell has said it's too early to make any predictions about that. Keep in mind Trump was often critical of Powell the last time he was in the White House. So Powell has tried hard not to provoke the incoming president. But he's also insisted Trump doesn't have the authority to fire him. And when Trump was asked about that on Meet the Press, he appeared that Powell's gonna stick around for a while.

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Will you try to replace Jerome Powell?

[Sarah Ventri]

No, I don't think so.

[Unknown Sponsor]

I don't see it now.

[Steve Inskeep]

Powell's term as chairman expires, though, in 2026. And at that point Trump may have the opportunity to install a more malleable leader at the central bank.

[Scott Horsley]

I suppose by then we'll have some idea of what economic effect Trump's policies will have had, which ones he succeeded in imposing, how he did that, and what the effect is on inflation.

[Steve Inskeep]

We'll be watching npr.

[Scott Horsley]

Scott Horsley, thanks.

[Steve Inskeep]

You're welcome.

[Scott Horsley]

The identity of a school shooter in Wisconsin is forcing us to think about what kinds of people would do something like this.

[Michelle Martin]

And that's because of her gender. Police say the person responsible was a 15 year old girl. She shot and killed two people and then herself.

[Scott Horsley]

NPR's Katie Riddle covers mental health and joins us. Hi there.

[Katia Riddle]

Hi, Steve.

[Scott Horsley]

How unusual is it to have a female shooter?

[Katia Riddle]

Very. You know, the federal government does not track school shootings, but a number of journalistic and research organizations have stepped in with their own data collection on this topic. One of those is the Violence Prevention Project Research center at Hamlin University in Minnesota. Researchers there have been tracking every homicide that has occurred in the last 25 years at a school. And there have been a small number of school shootings committed by girls. Most of those have been individual homicides. I talked to the executive director at this organization. Her name is Gillian Peterson. She said she was quite surprised when she found out the shooter at the school in Wisconsin was a girl. Across the board, she says, troubled males are just more likely to perpetuate something like this.

[Gillian Peterson]

So more violence, more substance use, more anger, more females are more likely to internalize those feelings. So more depression, more anxiety, more self harm.

[Scott Horsley]

Okay. More likely, meaning you might have boys who respond like this, you might have girls who respond like this, but it's just that females are less likely to lash out this way.

[Katia Riddle]

That's right. You know, Peterson points out that the age of the shooter, 15, is typical for this profile. That's a sensitive time in adolescence where executive function is not very well developed for girls or boys. Obviously, there's a lot we still don't know about the situation, and it's captured the public's attention. But Peterson says it will be important in the coming days and weeks to ask the same questions that we would of any school shooting.

[Gillian Peterson]

We tend to grab onto these ones that feel sort of unique and that don't fit the profile. And I think what I'm hoping will emerge is a deeper understanding of sort of her trajectory and her pathway. Right. Like how she got the guns, why she was feeling this way, did she have a history of suicidality? Did she tell other people she was planning this? So it's really kind of the same prevention strategy, strategies that you need in place more so than. Right. Like the profile of the person that you need to be worried about.

[Scott Horsley]

I appreciate that she's saying, don't stereotype somebody. Look at what's going on with the individual. But with that said, does this change anything in terms of red flags to look for?

[Katia Riddle]

You know, there are patterns of behavior around mass shootings. Often in retrospect, when a tragedy like this happens, those might seem obvious and people question why they were missed. But the vast majority of troubled adolescents don't commit mass shootings. Prevention strategies around individuals are certainly important, especially given they can often overlap with suicide prevention strategies. But some experts say it's dangerous to become too attached to any one narrative about who commits these kinds of acts. Another expert I talked to is Jonathan Metzl. He studies gun violence at Vanderbilt University. He said the shooter's gender is not the most salient fact in this circumstance.

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It's not surprising to me that given the increasing availability of guns and the fact that we have so many mass shootings in this country that We're, I think, going to increasingly see different kinds of people commit these kinds of shootings and other shootings.

[Katia Riddle]

Over 30,000 children go to a school that's been affected by gun violence this year. That's according to the Washington Post database called School Shooting Tracker. Experts say given the breadth of this epidemic, our preconceived narratives are just not always going to be accurate.

[Scott Horsley]

Katia, thanks so much.

[Katia Riddle]

You're welcome, Steve.

[Scott Horsley]

That's NPR's Katia Riddle. And if you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call or text 988, that's 9, 88 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. And that's up first for this Wednesday, December 18th. I'm Steve Insky.

[Michelle Martin]

And I'm Michelle Martin. You can listen to this podcast sponsor free, while financially supporting public media with Up First Plus. Learn more at plus.npr.org that that's plus.npr.org.

[Scott Horsley]

That'S a lot of spelling. Today's episode of Up first was edited by Kevin Drew, Rafael Nam, Diane Weber, H.J. mai and Mohamed El Bardisi. It was produced by Ziad Buch, Nia Dumas and Katie Klein. We get engineering support from Nisha Hyness, and our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us tomorrow.

[Steve Inskeep]

Foreign.

[Unknown Sponsor]

To hear this podcast without sponsor breaks. Amazon prime members can listen to up first sponsor free through Amazon Music, or you can also support NPR's vital journalism and get up first [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org this message comes from NPR sponsor Merrill Whatever your financial goals are, you want a straightforward path there. But the real world doesn't usually work that way. Merrill understands that. That's why with a dedicated Merrill advisor, you get a personalized plan and a clear path forward. Go to ML.combullish to learn more. Merrill, a Bank of America company. What would you like the power to do? Investing involves risk. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith Inc. Registered Broker dealer Registered Investment Advisor member, SIPC.

[Steve Inskeep]

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