Posted on 11/30/2015 10:54:11 AM PST by wagglebee
November 30, 2015 (LifeSiteNews) - The picture emerging of the man who allegedly opened fire at a Planned Parenthood facility Friday is one of a deeply troubled recluse with a history of run-ins with the law and bizarre behavior that left some of those who encountered him fearful for their safety, and many convinced that he wasn't sane.
On Saturday morning Colorado Springs police identified Robert Lewis Dear, 57, of North Carolina, as the suspect in the shooting that left three dead, and another nine injured. Dear allegedly began shooting outside the Planned Parenthood facility just before noon, Mountain Time, Friday, before retreating into the facility for a five hour stand-off with police.
Planned Parenthood has confirmed that none of its staff were injured in the shooting. Both of the civilians killed were reportedly accompanying friends to appointments.
The New York Daily News reports that an online dating profile that appears to have been posted by Dear in the early 2000s has Dear asking for "discreet" sadomasochistic sex, as well as pot-smoking companions. Other posts on Cannabis.com by someone with a username associated with Dear, include what the Daily News describes as "paranoid Biblical rants."
Heavy.com reports that Dear was arrested and charged in 2002 on charges of "animal cruelty," eavesdropping and "peeping tom" charges. He was acquitted of the animal cruelty charges after a bench trial, while the latter charges were dismissed.
He also has numerous previous convictions for various traffic violations. These include seat belt violations, driver’s license violations, operating a vehicle in an unsafe mechanical condition and driving a non-registered vehicle.
ABC reports that Dear spent some of his time living in a cabin in the woods in North Carolina, without running water or electricity. Neighbors say he was a quiet man who seemed "off." They said that when he did speak, he tended to ramble on a disconnected series of topics.
One neighbor, James Russell, said that two topics they never heard Dear speak about were religion and abortion. Russell also said that Dear tended to avoid eye contact. "Nothing with him was very cognitive," said Russell about Dear.
James Howie, who lived close to one of Dear's remote properties in North Carolina, told USA Today that Dear once asked him to do some foundation work on his shack. After accompanying Dear to the job site, Howie declined the job. "I was just glad to get home," he said about the experience, adding that in his view Dear seemed crazy, although not dangerous.
Another neighbor told the Washington Post that Dear "was the kind of person you had to watch out for. He was a very weird individual. It's hard to explain, but he had a weird look in his eye most of the time."
Another neighbor said that she and her family "kept out of his way." "He wouldn't really speak to anybody, he wouldn't wave," Mallory Nicoletti, 29, told the Citizen-Times.
John Hood, another neighbor, told NBCNews that Dear rarely spoke with him, but when he did, it was to offer bizarre advice. On one occasion, said Hood, Dear urged him to get a metal roof installed on his house, so the US government couldn't spy on him. Hood also said he erected a fence between their properties, because Dear had a habit of skinny dipping.
The Gateway Pundit also reports that, bizarrely, Dear was registered to vote as a woman, although it is unclear whether this is simply a clerical error or has any deeper significance.
One anonymous source, reportedly with the police, told the Washington Post that in a confusing rant following his arrest Dear did make mention of "baby body parts," suggesting some connection with the recent series of undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood staffers harvesting and selling the body parts of aborted babies.
However, the source added that this was but one topic among many mentioned by Dear in a speech that left investigators unclear as to his specific motivation.
Planned Parenthood has issued a statement saying that based upon eyewitnesses they believe Dear "was motivated by opposition to safe and legal abortion."
Dear's ex-wife, Pamela Ross, told the New York Times he was a Bible-believing Christian, and that he opposed abortion, but that it "was never really a topic of conversation" in their house.
RELATED: Planned Parenthood shooting suspect surrenders, is in custody: police
Ross and Dear divorced in 2000. The picture that Ross paints of her ex-husband as a physically healthy man who lifted weights, took good care of himself, enjoyed listening to U2 and riding motorcycles, clashes markedly with the accounts of those who lived near him in the years since their parting.
Ross said she was shocked at the man she saw on TV following his arrest this weekend.
“Something must have happened to him when he moved away, that’s all I know," she said. “Me and our whole family are extremely devastated and heartbroken by the victims of these families, and we have no words that can ever comfort them other than to say we’re sorry for what he did.”
Dear reportedly brought several "items" with him into the Planned Parenthood facility, which police had said they were concerned could be explosives. Early Saturday morning police tweeted that those items have been "secured" and are "no longer a threat."
Subsequent reports have suggested those items were propane tanks that Dear may have been trying to shoot in order to cause an explosion.
After a five-hour standoff with police, during which Dear repeatedly exchanged gunfire with them, police were able to establish voice contact with the suspect by shouting. At that point they were able to convince him to surrender.
While some reports have indicated that the shooting actually began outside a nearby Chase Bank, and may have been related to a robbery, Springfield police spokeswoman Lt. Catherine Buckley said at a press conference Friday evening that the shooting appears to have begun at the Planned Parenthood.
While Dear's motive is still unknown, pro-life groups have issued statements condemning the violence, and urging caution in jumping to conclusions.
"Information is very sketchy about the currently active shooting situation in Colorado Springs," said Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life. "The Planned Parenthood was the address given in the initial call to the police, but we still do not know what connection, if any, the shooting has to do with Planned Parenthood or abortion."
"As leaders in the pro-life movement, we call for calm and pray for a peaceful resolution of this situation."
Troy Newman of Operation Rescue and Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, also issued statements.
"Operation Rescue unequivocally deplores and denounces all violence at abortion clinics and has a long history of working through peaceful channels to advocate on behalf of women and their babies," said Newman. "We express deep concern for everyone involved and are praying for the safety of those at the Planned Parenthood office and for law enforcement personnel. We pray this tragic situation can be quickly resolved without further injury to anyone."
"Although we don't know the reasons for the shooting near the Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs today, the pro-life movement is praying for the safety of all involved and as a movement we have always unequivocally condemned all forms of violence at abortion clinics. We must continually as a nation stand against violence on all levels," said Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, based in Washington, D.C.
Me too.
I wonder if he was on some sort of anti-psychotic med..so often, after an incident of this type, it turns out to be the case.
Assuming this is the case, I’m not trying to say it was the meds that caused him to start shooting (I’m no doctor), just that it usually turns out there’s a history of psychiatric problems.
If so, he may never be able to coherently articulate WHY he went berserk. His reasoning may make sense to him, but it won’t to anyone else!
People are feeble minded idiots for jumping to an abortion clinic tie-in. This guys didn't even attack anyone in the clinic.
And the liberal biased MSM - shows he was a Conservative.
Not registered to either party - Unaffiliated’ or something like (abbreviated) that on the voting card.
He (she?) is registered as "UNA", unaffiliated.
Although, now, the registration information is missing from the ColoradoVoters website.
http://coloradovoters.info/by_number/6010/10372_robert_lewis_dear.html
bkmk
it had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with PP!!! he was in a running gunfight with the cops for 1/2 hour BEFORE he got to PP...
I'm looking for it. Many reports are that the shooting started at the bank and the guy ran to the PP clinic.
As to WHO shot the people inside the clinic. there is this...
"We're exchanging gunfire," one officer said on the radio. "We are trying to keep him pinned down."
"Put gunfire through the walls," came a reply. "Whatever, we got to stop this guy."
3 Are Dead in Colorado Springs Shootout at Planned Parenthood Center
Yes they do.
3 Are Dead in Colorado Springs Shootout at Planned Parenthood Center
"We're exchanging gunfire," one officer said on the radio. "We are trying to keep him pinned down."
"Put gunfire through the walls," came a reply. "Whatever, we got to stop this guy."
I live in the Springs, been in the shopping centrr many times, there is some significant distance between the bank and PP, I’m guessing 150 yards maybe a little more, a city block.
Update. Suspect identified in Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood shooting, 3 killed, 9 injured
The Gazette reported:
Denise Speller, manager at a nearby haircut salon, said she heard roughly 10-20 gunshots in the span of less than five minutes. She said she saw a police cruiser and two officers outside near Chase Bank, not far from the Planned Parenthood facility. One of the officers appeared to fall to the ground and the other office knelt down to render aid, then tried to get the officer to safety behind the car, she said. Another officer told Speller to seek shelter inside the building.
Really, you are coming here to repeat the same disproven comments. UGH! Making us all look like fools.
Not true. A live victim was shot in his car in the PP parking lot and drove to the grocery store. Woman inside clinic describes him shooting people in the parking lot.
Not true. He shot people in their cars/in the PP parking lot. They spoke with reporters about it. One drove away to the King Soopers and police were called.
Ummm..no. I simply asked on what evidence are you basing your opinion on what the shooter did or didn't do?
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