Age: 26
Criminal History: None.
Media Narrative Afterward: Either that this is proof of a War on Christians, or we need to ban assault rifles and require background checks for gun buyers.
The Story:
Shit, I bet most of you have forgotten this one too. Happened last October? Guy shot up a community college? There was a frenzy in the immediate aftermath to determine if he was a jihadist or white nationalist, then we kind of forgot about it, because it turned out he didn't really fit anybody's narrative. Hey, I get it, this was like 36 shootings ago.
Steve Dykes/Getty Images
You remember. It was the one where people sent "thoughts and prayers."
There were no real warning signs with this guy. He was named Christopher Sean Harper-Mercer (do most mass killers go by three names, or is that just something the press does in the aftermath?), he grew up in LA, and his parents divorced when he was a baby. You're going to find out that this, if nothing else, is a running theme on this list. He still lived with his mom. He was mixed-race, and his mother was black (this will be relevant in a moment).
He had Asperger's syndrome (though I hope I don't have to point out that mass murder is not a symptom of that disease), and attended a special needs school for a while. He joined the Army in 2008, but washed out of basic training after a month. He described himself on a dating website as an introvert, as well as "conservative" and "intellectual." He went to community college for two years, from 2010-2012. No incidents, no run-ins with the law -- just a quiet, socially awkward loner who loved the shit out of some guns.
Chris Harper-Mercer / MySpace
Does that last part describe you or anyone you know? That's the point.