- Oct 31, 2008
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My town was rocked by a shooting at our public library yesterday, two people were killed and a child was injured. I'm disturbed because the police released the name of the shooter early this morning and it's someone I know. Not well, but he was a catechist in the classes I taught over the past couple of years. He started off with the group of adults we were working with but then my coordinator put him on his own track cause he was so knowledgeable that he was able to advance quickly.
The police noted in their post that he seemed motivated to "Commit a Columbine High School-style shooting."
He's 18, I think he was around 15-16 when he joined our OCIF classes. I believe he's on the spectrum cause he's incredibly smart but he showed some behavioral signs often associated with being on the spectrum.
Yesterday while the events were unfolding and information was still kind of scarce, someone posted a grainy low-resolution photo of the suspect being taken into custody by the police. You could only see him from behind though, somehow my wife and I both recognized him cause we separately thought "That looks like [name]". But we both dismissed it as "Well I suppose a lot of people could look like that." But I think we were kind of spooked that we had the same thought. Then I found out around 5:30 this morning that we were right.
Please pray for the souls of the victims, their names haven't been released yet. Please pray for the recovery of the child, fortunately they said he or she only had minor injuries. Pray for the families of the victims and that justice will be served. I don't want to say the name of the shooter but if you feel so inclined pray for him too.
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this one. Other than just pure mental illness it's hard to process how someone could seem to understand the faith so well, and have a zeal for becoming Catholic (he was confirmed last year), he served at the altar; and then turn around and do this.
EDIT: I was talking about it with my wife this morning and she noted that she had seem him less and less at Mass, and that when he was coming he was accompanied by a strange man dressed in a three piece suit. The shooter was notably wearing suspenders yesterday, which is a little unusual these days unless someone's cosplaying. I daren't express my suspicions right now.
The police noted in their post that he seemed motivated to "Commit a Columbine High School-style shooting."
He's 18, I think he was around 15-16 when he joined our OCIF classes. I believe he's on the spectrum cause he's incredibly smart but he showed some behavioral signs often associated with being on the spectrum.
Yesterday while the events were unfolding and information was still kind of scarce, someone posted a grainy low-resolution photo of the suspect being taken into custody by the police. You could only see him from behind though, somehow my wife and I both recognized him cause we separately thought "That looks like [name]". But we both dismissed it as "Well I suppose a lot of people could look like that." But I think we were kind of spooked that we had the same thought. Then I found out around 5:30 this morning that we were right.
Please pray for the souls of the victims, their names haven't been released yet. Please pray for the recovery of the child, fortunately they said he or she only had minor injuries. Pray for the families of the victims and that justice will be served. I don't want to say the name of the shooter but if you feel so inclined pray for him too.
I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around this one. Other than just pure mental illness it's hard to process how someone could seem to understand the faith so well, and have a zeal for becoming Catholic (he was confirmed last year), he served at the altar; and then turn around and do this.
EDIT: I was talking about it with my wife this morning and she noted that she had seem him less and less at Mass, and that when he was coming he was accompanied by a strange man dressed in a three piece suit. The shooter was notably wearing suspenders yesterday, which is a little unusual these days unless someone's cosplaying. I daren't express my suspicions right now.
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