Posted on 12/27/2008 9:37:19 AM PST by Maelstorm
COVINA, Calif. - A man who carried out a Christmas Eve massacre and arson dressed as Santa at the home of his former in-laws apparently intended to flee the U.S., but his plans were dashed after the inferno he created severely burned his arms and melted his red costume onto his body, police said Friday.
Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, a laid-off aerospace worker, apparently shot some of his nine victims execution-style in a plot to destroy his ex-wife's family after a costly divorce that was finalized last week. He had an airline ticket for a Christmas morning flight to Canada and $17,000 in cash on his body, some attached to his legs with plastic wrap and some in a girdle, Covina police Chief Kim Raney said. He did not know the Canadian destination.
Armed with four guns, wearing the Santa suit and carrying a fuel-spraying device wrapped like a present, Pardo showed up at the home at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday as a party of about 25 people was under way.
Raney said Pardo, 45, fired a shot into the face of an 8-year-old girl who answered the door and at first fired indiscriminately, then apparently targeted relatives of his ex-wife as other guests fled.
"There's some information that he stood over them and shot them execution-style," Raney said.
Pardo retreated to the front door and retrieved a device that mixed carbon dioxide or oxygen with high-octane racing fuel, police said. Fleeing guests saw him spraying the fuel inside the house when the vapor was ignited, possibly by a pilot light or a candle, and exploded.
"Mr. Pardo was severely injured during that explosion," Raney said. "He suffered third-degree burns on both arms and it also appears that the Santa Claus suit that he was wearing did melt onto his body."
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
his plans were dashed after the inferno he created severely burned his arms and melted his red costume onto his bodyDon't you hate when that happens?
The MSM was quick to mention that he was an usher at his church. Had this been a ROP member, there would have been silence.
Yeah? So? Me too.
You are now subject to a five day waiting period to buy or rent a red suit.
Santa Suits don’t kill people, people do.
Speaking of which, have you ever seen anyone dress up for Halloween as Santa?
I think we've found a journalist who was a D student in chemistry.
Yes they are always silent. Let a person be a associated with the left or a homosexual organization then you seldom hear it except in really outrageous cases like the two lesbians. This is a horrible case. That he was an usher in church should simply highlight that no one is safe from the influence of evil. How many times a person is challenged. I know in my life that had I not had a relationship with God there were moments and trials that would’ve been too much.
That’s why I prefer 100% cotton clothing, but it’s hard to find quality Santa suits.
Highest score in the whole newsroom...
Give him a break he was channeling Al Gore.
He's a self indulgent bully - guess he 'deserves' the respect and love other men earn.
This killing was an ugly temper tantrum.
Too bad he didn't bother to grow up.
The journalist probably figured that someone this evil must be using that evil substance, carbon dioxide.
Me too what? You lose your job, and wife?
What a low-life, huh? His first act was to shoot an 8-year-old girl in the face.
Can’t say I have.
He's a self indulgent bully - guess he thinks he 'deserved' the respect and love other men have to earn.
This killing was an ugly temper tantrum.
Too bad he was too lazy to grow up...
Rage. Rage of a nice guy who always gets beat up and gets that final straw on his back, or else paranoid rage of a psycho convinced the world is out to get him. Seen both kinds.
Uh... what exactly is a "high powered shotgun"?
I have several shotguns. The power of each one depends on the ammo used.
The article doesn’t actually say he was fired.
Lots of tech workers these days are losing their jobs, not for what they do, but because jobs are being sent elsewhere.
It’s a shame to think - “free trade” just might have contributed to this awful situation.
Guy loses his job. His confidence crumbles - and he is no longer the man his wife married. She divorces him, and he goes insane.
First step in that descent into the abyss: outsourcing.
He was clearly an evil, criminally insane violent nutball, but if he hadn’t lost his job all the rest may not have happened.
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