Reported today by KOAT news in Albuquerque (warning - autoplay video at link):
45 takeaways from the final Mason Campbell report
I haven't seen this reported anywhere else today, and in fact I don't recall seeing anything like it in the aftermath of previous school shootings. Quoting from the intro to the KOAT story:
ROSWELL, N.M. —One (sic) Jan. 14, shots were fired at the Berrendo Middle School in Roswell. Two students and a faculty member were struck by bullets.
Mason Campbell was the one who fired in the gymnasium that day, and a final report on the case was released Thursday.
He was recently found competent to stand trial.
Here are 45 takeaways from the report, including the interview with a woman who said Campbell told her exactly what he planned to do in a store the night before the shooting.
More below the fold - including a summary of his pre-crime confession to a complete stranger the day before the shooting.
Despite the autoplay you really should go to the link and the read the article - it's brief and to the point. But what seems remarkable to me is that, a) the shooter is alive and fairly lucid and therefore able to express his reasoning, such as it is. And b) he actually spoke in detail about his plans for the shooting, to a stranger but in the presence of his grandmother - who immediately dismissed his words. (WTF?). Quoting from the KOAT story:
27) A woman said she saw Campbell and his grandmother in the store prior to the shooting.
28) She said he told her his family was about to have some serious legal trouble.
29) She said he wants to become an advocate against bullying.
30) He told her bullying happens every day.
31) He said nobody listens and nobody wants to help.
32) He said he was tired of getting slammed into lockers.
33) He said he planned on taking a gun to school and firing it into the air a few times.
34) He said that would make people take him seriously and listen to him.
35) He was prepared to go to jail for his actions.
36) The woman said his grandmother was standing nearby while he said this.
37) He wanted people to know he’s sick and tired of the bullying culture.
38) He said he waited until after the holidays to do what he was going to do because his family deserved a happy holiday together.
39) The woman said she saw several emotions go through Campbell during the conversation.
40) She said he seemed fed up, but not dangerous.
41) She said the store conversation was the first time she’d met the boy.
42) She said his grandmother looked her in the eye and told her not to believe a word Campbell says.
43) She said the grandmother said this several times.
44) At this point, she said Campbell said, “See? Nobody listens to me.”
45) The woman said she assumed the grandmother had heard, based on her final words, and that she would act on the boy’s words.
I don't have any firm conclusions about this (except that apparently the adults in this boy's family were fucking clueless). It lends itself to lots of what-if questions, which I'm sure you good folks can fill in as well as I can. One reason I'm posting it here is because discussions on this site are one way I process events in the mad, mad, mad world around us. And, it is a data point the likes of which we haven't seen very often in the daily array of shootings around the county.
So - what do you think?