The man accused of killing 22 people and injuring dozens more at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas, this weekend was an “extreme loner” who was “picked on” for his voice and his clothes, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The lonely life of the suspect, who is widely reported to be 21-year-old Patrick Crusius of Allen, Texas, reveals a troubling pathway to violence for some terrorists, including mass shooters. Feeling alienated from their peer groups, they seek vengeance in the most dramatic—and deadliest—way possible.
Of course, not all mass shooters were bullied as children. The Columbine High School killers, for example, had healthy friend groups. And some shooters were more the bullies than the bullied: The man who is suspected of killing nine in Dayton, Ohio, hours after the El Paso attack was also reported to have kept a “kill list” and “rape list” of his high-school classmates…
Source: The Atlantic
Author: Olga Khazan