History knows a huge number of killers. Some commit this crime because they canât tolerate it anymore, others intentionally and with particular cruelty, and some because of a mental disorder. The last reason forced to commit the massacre and the "Arizona shooter." Lofner Jared Lee killed 6 people with his actions. But everything has its own special background, and we will analyze it further.
Youth
Lofner Jared Lee was born in Tucson, Arizona. In 2006, never having finished his studies, he dropped out of high school. Dressed as a representative of the Gothic culture, and adhered to the idea of ââa conspiracy. In particular, he believed that the September 11 attack was rigged by the United States government itself. In addition, the young man was addicted to soft drugs. But at the same time he was not too difficult a teenager - he played the saxophone, was very friendly and liked to joke. That is how all his friends remembered him. No one could have thought that he was mentally ill.
Adult years
At age 18, Jared attended college. Relations with his parents in these years were very strained. Often, Lofner Jared Lee ran away from home. His father did not work, only occasionally earned money while repairing cars. Mother also sat at home - the family lived on benefits.
In 2007, the young man was detained for possession of drugs. A year later, after serving a small sentence, he again set about criminal acts.
In those same years, Jared tried to get into the national army, but was found unfit according to the results of a medical examination. It is impossible to say with certainty whether it was found out that he was mentally ill or other reasons existed for refusal. It was rumored that marijuana was to blame.
Interests
The "Arizona shooter" proudly called the revolutionary Che Guevara his favorite political figure. In addition to him, he gave his preference to Barack Obama, President of the United States, and Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela. But Jared has not joined any political parties in his entire life. He had no work, with the exception of dog walking. But here he could not hold out for long - he was kicked out for inappropriate behavior.
Relatives remember that most of all he liked to read books. Among his favorites were âOh Brave New Worldâ by Aldous Huxley and âKill a Mockingbirdâ by Harper Lee. The âManifesto of the Communist Partyâ by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, âMy Fightâ by Adolf Hitler and âAnimal Farmâ by George Orwell did not leave him indifferent. Obviously, Jared was attracted by the theme of opposing the totalitarian system, which was highlighted in some of them. Perhaps this influenced his worldview.
College
In 2010, Lofner had to go to a community college designed for dropouts in Pima County. There he began to violate all the rules and regulations. Teachers unanimously declared that he was "cried by a psychiatric hospital."
In September of that year, the college administration found a YouTube entry made by none other than Lofner. It was said that the college operates illegally and is contrary to the basic law of the state - the Constitution. After this, the grief student was temporarily expelled from the school. Now a mental health report was required of him. He did not want to provide it, and he was unlikely to be able to confirm his normality, because even then his psyche was disturbed.
This whole situation prompted Lofner to finally say goodbye to all educational institutions. He never studied anywhere else, as he despised the educational system.
Crazy ideas
Lofner Jared Lee returned home to his parents. After registering on MySpace and opening his channel on YouTube, he began actively publishing anti-government messages. In particular, the young man was obsessed with the crazy idea that the government washes people with brains and tries to control them through grammar. He was also against the police, saying that its officers violate the norms of the constitution.
Soon, Lofner began developing his own monetary system, which was to be based on the gold standard. And in November 2010, legally acquired the very fateful weapon - a pistol. After passing all the checks of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, he received a license. True, his first attempt to buy cartridges was unsuccessful. The seller refused him, citing inappropriate behavior. He later acquired cartridges at another weapons store.
So the shooter appeared
On January 8, 2011, the âArizona Shooterâ got into a meeting with Gabriel Giffords, a member of Congress from Arizona. According to eyewitnesses, he rode a taxi and, not even waiting for the change, headed for the place where the meeting took place. The taxi driver was conscientious and followed in order to return the money. Because of this, he was even considered at first an accomplice of the shooter. Lofner, three meters from a member of Congress, shot her in the head with a 9-mm Glock 19. Then, without rest, he began firing at the crowd and fired all 33 bullets.
As a result of his shooting, 5 people died on the spot, and another girl of 9 years old died in an ambulance in an ambulance. 14 people were injured, among them was Giffords (the shooter never killed his main target). Eyewitnesses managed to detain the criminal before the arrival of the police.
The indictment and sentence
After Lofner was questioned by the FBI, his refusal to cooperate was announced. He covered himself with the Fifth Amendment, allowing him to remain silent. His motivation in this matter did not become known to anyone.
Officially, Lofner was charged with attempted murder of civil servants and the murder of federal civil servants. The lawyer was appointed to him by the state - Judy Clark, who once defended an al-Qaeda terrorist, became one.
During the trial, Jared Lee announced to everyone that he was innocent. However, the jury did not believe and added a few more points to his charge. In particular, the killing of four people who were not civil servants, and the infliction of grievous bodily harm. The fact that the shooter planned everything in advance, it became clear after the police found envelopes with inscriptions like âMy murderâ, âI planned everything in advanceâ at his house. The experts had no doubt that both the jury and the judge would reach a single verdict, deciding to convict the shooter.
In 2011, after Lofner underwent a psychiatric examination, it was announced that the defendant was in a state of some kind of mental disorder, and we can say that he is insane. This person also showed his mental inadequacy in the courtroom, because of which, even before a decision was made in the appointment of compulsory treatment, he was taken out of court.
Forced treatment
Lofner was diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, after some time, his therapist said that the patient was getting better, and he began to realize what he had done and repent of the murder. For a long time, the shooter was undergoing compulsory treatment in a psychiatric clinic in Missouri, and on August 7, at the next court session, he confessed to the crime - killing 6 people and wounding fourteen. This saved him from the death penalty.
The final sentence to the "Arizona shooter" was issued in 2012. It sounded rather severe: to convict and sentence seven life sentences, without the right to release on parole and another 140 years - additionally.
Such absurd, at first glance, the charges are often given by the courts of the United States. But this is the only way to clearly demonstrate the severity of the crime committed. In conclusion, the judge announced that the perpetrator would never pick up a weapon again. These words meant that the âArizona shooterâ would never harm anyone again.