Replies

>"No they aren’t."

I agree with that. Judging from the facts that have come to light. This man seemingly had NO redeeming qualities. If he wanted to take revenge on the wife who "had done him wrong", it would have been bad enough had he had found a way to do just that, but he wanted to wreak havoc on others as well. It's clear that with all the preparation involved, this was not a case of someone "snapping" and acting on the spur of the moment. No, he carefully thought out a fiendish plan that, by dressing as Santa, took the innocence and joy of the Christmas season and turned it into a deadly nightmare.

Armed with several guns and a flamethrower disguised as a present, he approached his former in laws house where a holiday gathering was in progress. A gathering that had guests of all ages most of whom, I think it pretty safe to say, were not involved in his marital troubles. When the door opens he shot an eight year old child in the face, and then proceeded to indiscriminately shoot the other guests, seeking out his ex wife, her parents and other members of her family. Then using the device he brought with him he set the house on fire trapping other attendees, many of whom jumped from upstairs windows in order to escape certain death. According to a surviving sister of his ex wife heard on a 911 call, he continued to shoot even after the fire started.

After suffering extensive burns to his arms, he made his escape and drove to his brother's house, broke in and killed himself. A airline ticket and cash found on his body indicated that suicide was not his original plan. His intent was to create as much carnage as possible and then fly to Canada. He meant for others to die, even after he was miles away. It was discovered that the rental car that he had used was booby trapped.

Somehow, no matter what he had been through, I can't manage to come up with any justification for the horrific acts that he carried out. He had free will and he was to blame for all of this, no one else.