“If you’re reading this then I’m definitely DEAD and have just committed a ‘NATIONAL TRAGEDY.’” That was part of the online memoirs a young deranged shooter wanted to be remembered by.
Ethan Blair Miller, only 20-years-old, felt his life was over, and it was. He went into an Oregon supermarket and killed two men on August 29.
He had been preparing for his “moment” for a long time.
Online writings have been discovered, allegedly written by Miller, in which he describes a plan to commit a massacre that he said was inspired by Columbine.
On Monday an 84-year-old customer in the supermarket, and a brave 66-year-old employee who tried to stop him, were killed from gunfire in the Bend, Oregon Safeway supermarket.
Miller, armed with an AR-15, also had weapons and bombs in his vehicle. He committed suicide during the rampage.
It is reported that he had been an employee of the store in the past.
Social media postings discovered by investigators show disturbing things were going on in the young man’s mind before the shooting.
He had written, and deleted a “manifesto” online that he called “The Downward Spiral Of ‘Ethan Miller,’” describing his depression and disappointments in his life.
“I’m gonna lay it all out for you all so that by the end of all of this you will all understand why I did what I did.”
He talked about something many of us have all gone through in the past few years – loneliness and frustration due to the pandemic, conflicts with family and lack of a social life in lockdown times.
He said he had turned into a “monster,” and he said he took responsibility, but he also blamed society for what he had become.
He planned his suicide and he knew what was coming. He wanted to go out with a bang… literally.
The 20-year-old was hoping that “bang” would be Columbine style. He wanted to do a massive school shooting and gain notoriety in the process.
He wrote about his intentions to kill students at a particular high school that he named in his writings.
“I’ve always been dangerous though. Like a Ticking F—ING Time Bomb. Ready To Blow!” he wrote.
Miller prepared for the big moment and purchased guns and bombs.
It was a suicide mission. He wrote that he wanted to die. More than he wanted to be famous, he wanted it all to be over.
In a later posting he wrote, “I’m not like the typical Mass Shooter I’m different I’m not doing this for ‘Fame’ or to ‘Get Revenge.’ I simply just want to DIE and leave a Lasting Impression and VIOLENT Mark on this World on my way out,” he wrote.
“Thankfully I won’t be here to have to deal with it.”
It was supposed to happen on September 8, but he got inpatient.
“The Rage has become uncontrollable and It can’t wait 2 More Weeks,” he wrote Saturday. “Tomorrow. Sunday. August 28th 2022. Doomsday.”
Did anyone notice this guy was about the explode?
It was all there online. How many people read it? What could have been done to stop it? Classmates and people who knew him, upon interview after the shooting, said that he was known to be violent and threatening.
The rampage began at his residence, an apartment complex, and continued as he walked to the Safeway. At first he shot into a Big Lots store, and then entered the Safeway.
Out of control, he shot Glenn Edward Bennett, 84, at the entrance of the store. He then sprayed gunfire throughout the aisles of the store.
Donald Ray Surrett, Jr., 66, an employee at the market, tried to stop him, and probably saved other lives in doing so, but gave his own.
Two other people were the victims of gunfire but had non-life threatening injuries in the shooting, police said.
Police entered while shots were heard, but Miller was found dead from suicide.
After the shooting, police found an AR-15 and a shotgun at the scene.
It took four minutes since the 9-1-1 call, and then it was over.
Police found the online “manifesto” when they searched Miller’s apartment.
The public, witness, people who knew Miller, other students, etc. contributed to create a picture of what was going on with the out-of-control young man, but his own writings told the story.
One classmate described him as “the person from our class most likely to be a school shooter.”
What a legacy.
