WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.960 --> 00:00:03.480 We have an active shooter. We have an after shoot. It's go ahead 2 00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:10.880 to clear. That's a mass casualty. Welcome to Active Shooter, a podcast 3 00:00:10.919 --> 00:00:15.919 that covers the whys, the hows, and the aftermath of active shooter and 4 00:00:15.960 --> 00:00:25.000 mass casualty events. I have an active shooter in a building. A checking 5 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:32.560 call as our big attack. We got Chuck Flier at four fifteen as broaching 6 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:50.000 ninety one sounded like, Oh I'm at a fire. Active shooter coorts of 7 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:56.759 an active shooter, active shooter, active shooter in mash casualty incidents. Thank 8 00:00:56.840 --> 00:01:03.200 you for listening. You are listening to Active Shooter, a podcast that may 9 00:01:03.240 --> 00:01:07.599 contain adult themes, explicit language, and graphic depictions of violence. Portions of 10 00:01:07.640 --> 00:01:14.079 this show may be traumatic for those under eighteen. Listener discretion is advised. 11 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:19.840 Tragedy and Ben after a shooting spree at a shopping center. Just after seven 12 00:01:19.879 --> 00:01:23.400 o'clock last night, a gunman opened fire at the Forum shopping center, killing 13 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:27.400 two people at a Safeway grocery store and injuring two others. Please say this 14 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:32.879 shooting spree lasted only a matter of minutes, but being on the ground here 15 00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:36.560 in Ben tonight, you can see the impact on this community will last a 16 00:01:36.599 --> 00:01:38.560 long while. Now we are learning the identities of the two victims killed in 17 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.760 the shooting. They are eighty five year old Glenn Edward Bennett, a customer 18 00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:48.640 at Safeway, and a sixty six year old Safeway employee named Donald Surrett Junior. 19 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:53.359 The common themes we seem to hear over and over again when covering mass 20 00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:59.640 shooting cases are statements such as, they seemed like someone who would commit a 21 00:01:59.640 --> 00:02:06.159 shooting, their mental health took a serious decline recently, they suddenly became paranoid, 22 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:10.159 or they suddenly became extreme, and of course, most commonly, the 23 00:02:10.240 --> 00:02:16.199 guns were purchased legally. Indeed, most of those themes will appear throughout the 24 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:21.800 case we are covering today. The shooter was clearly suffering from some sort of 25 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:25.520 mental health crisis and had been for some time. He was violent and liked 26 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:30.080 to pick fights, starting at an early age. The shooter displayed so many 27 00:02:30.199 --> 00:02:35.960 of the obvious traits that we've come to associate with active shooters. So why 28 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:39.319 was he able to access firearms? And why was he able to carry out 29 00:02:39.360 --> 00:02:46.560 such a deadly act when others foresaw him doing that very thing? Why if 30 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:51.000 mass shooters are so much easier to identify. Are we still no better off 31 00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:57.039 today than decades ago? The questions I just asked will not be answered in 32 00:02:57.039 --> 00:03:00.120 today's episode, but they are topics we should all be to discussing and making 33 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:06.520 real efforts to resolve. Today's case is dedicated to the lives and memories of 34 00:03:06.560 --> 00:03:10.680 the two injured survivors and the two deceased victims, Donald Ray Surrett Junior and 35 00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:23.240 Glenn Edward Bennett. Active Shooter the podcast is a High five Holly production, 36 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:29.199 and I'm your host JT. If you've listened to our prior episodes, you 37 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:34.400 know that the Active Shooter podcast team has taken the no notoriety pledge and we 38 00:03:34.479 --> 00:03:38.280 will not be sharing the real name of the shooters that we cover. We 39 00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:43.639 will be giving the shooters a pseudonym and refer to them by that name throughout 40 00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:46.879 the episode. This will help in clearing up any confusion in the story. 41 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:52.759 While remaining true to our pledge and not naming the shooter by their actual name. 42 00:03:55.879 --> 00:04:06.840 We will refer to today's shooter as Ben. Sunday, August twenty eighth, 43 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:11.159 twenty twenty two, was a hot, sunny summer day in Bend, 44 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:15.519 Oregon. Bend with an average of three hundred sunny days each year. It's 45 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:19.120 not a typical for a summer day to be clear and bright from sun up 46 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:25.120 to sundown. Bend, Oregon is an eclectic city located about one hundred and 47 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:30.000 sixty miles southeast of Portland. The city boasts a population of one hundred and 48 00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:34.360 three thousand full time residents and is loaded with things to do, including camping, 49 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:39.800 cycling, guided tours, and brewery tours, just to name a few. 50 00:04:40.560 --> 00:04:44.800 The Dashute River runs through the heart of the city, which sits along 51 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:49.519 the boundary of the Eastern Cascades, slopes and foothills. Its breath takingly beautiful 52 00:04:49.680 --> 00:04:56.959 and serene, which presents a horrifically stark contrast to the forbidding tragedy that was 53 00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:01.639 to unfold in this charming Pacific Northwest city, a loss that this community was 54 00:05:01.680 --> 00:05:06.920 not prepared for. At seven p m. Sunday evening, twenty year old 55 00:05:06.959 --> 00:05:13.000 Ben exited his apartment located at the Fox Hollow Apartment Building. He carried a 56 00:05:13.079 --> 00:05:18.000 five fifty six Nato Radical Firearms r F fifteen semi automatic rifle and a twelve 57 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:23.920 gage Stephens Model three twenty pump action shotgun. As he walked towards his truck, 58 00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:30.240 rather than getting inside to drive away, Ben shot at the nineteen ninety 59 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:34.399 seven Ford F one fifty before turning back to walk through the parking lot towards 60 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:40.079 the Forum Shopping Center located in front of the apartment complex and parking lot. 61 00:05:40.800 --> 00:05:45.959 As he approached the Costco, Ben fired into the store's parking lot. The 62 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:49.399 sight of Ben likely presented a sinister image as he walked with a swift gait 63 00:05:49.560 --> 00:05:55.519 through, carrying firearms and wearing a black T shirt with the word hurt in 64 00:05:55.680 --> 00:06:00.480 big bold letters stretched across the front. He also wore black pants, a 65 00:06:00.519 --> 00:06:05.920 tactical vest, and a green satchel filled with ammunition, which was slung around 66 00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:26.240 his waist. Four minutes after leaving his apartment, Ben entered the parking lot 67 00:06:26.279 --> 00:06:30.560 of the Forum Shopping Center from the rear alley of the shopping center that bordered 68 00:06:30.839 --> 00:06:34.839 the apartment complex. There were a number of stores located within the shopping center, 69 00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:41.199 including retail giants such as Old Navy, Big Lots and Barnes and Noble, 70 00:06:41.839 --> 00:06:46.920 and major grocery stores such as Whole Foods and Safeway. As he walked 71 00:06:46.920 --> 00:06:49.600 through the parking lot. Ben shot into the Big Lots store that sat just 72 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:54.560 next to the safeway. He also turned and shot into the parking lot at 73 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:58.040 a parked van. There was a stack of hot tubs sitting outside of a 74 00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:00.360 store, which Ben shot at a lot along with a Honda Civic that was 75 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:08.439 slowly driving past. He fired with abandon and didn't appear to have any specific 76 00:07:08.480 --> 00:07:12.920 target in mind. He simply wanted to kill and it didn't seem to matter 77 00:07:13.000 --> 00:07:16.399 who was in the line of fire. The Honda Civis owner was cruising along 78 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:21.839 minding their own business when a man dressed in black suddenly started shooting at them. 79 00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:27.279 Glass from the windshields shattered into the moving vehicle, and the driver was 80 00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:31.279 stuck with both the falling glass and pieces of shrapnel from bullets piercing through the 81 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:35.920 passenger side door, as was later evidenced by bullet holes that riddled the door 82 00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:41.639 in windshield. Police later indicated that if there had been anyone in the passenger 83 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:46.680 seat, they surely would not have survived the shooting. Ben approached the west 84 00:07:46.800 --> 00:07:53.319 entrance of the safeway and encountered customer Glenn Bennett. Ben started shooting at Glenn 85 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:58.120 and several other customers who were able to flee from the scene. Glenn wasn't 86 00:07:58.120 --> 00:08:01.560 as fortunate. He was shot and fell to the ground. I was in 87 00:08:01.800 --> 00:08:07.480 Safeway with my four children and my wife was in the car. She wasn't 88 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:11.959 feeling well, so she was sitting out front in the car, and we 89 00:08:11.959 --> 00:08:15.439 were walking toward the front of the store and I heard what I am guessing 90 00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:20.360 is sixty seven shots going off outside outside the store, and I just turned 91 00:08:20.360 --> 00:08:22.920 to my kids. I knew what it was right away. I see a 92 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:26.279 few of the customers turned back to try to assist Glenn, who was shot 93 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:30.000 in his right arm, left thigh, and groin. He was rushed to 94 00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:35.679 the hospital and later succumbed to many injuries. Eighty four year old Glenn Edward 95 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:39.879 Bennett was born on September eighth, nineteen thirty seven, in Gillette, Wyoming. 96 00:08:41.320 --> 00:08:45.559 He proudly served his country fighting in Korea. Though he was a soldier, 97 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:50.759 Glenn was known as a compassioned man who left a lasting impact on most 98 00:08:50.799 --> 00:08:54.879 that he met. He had lived in Bend, Oregon for twenty eight years 99 00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:58.960 leading up to death, and was incredibly passionate about old cars and was described 100 00:09:00.200 --> 00:09:05.559 as a huge movie buff Ben proceeded into the store, shouting loudly, you 101 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:11.080 better run. He stalked the aisleways, shooting down each as he wandered the 102 00:09:11.080 --> 00:09:16.000 store from one end to the other. The sight of a man walking anywhere 103 00:09:16.039 --> 00:09:18.720 with a firearm drawn is enough to cause panic and alarm, so the paralyzing 104 00:09:18.759 --> 00:09:24.000 sight of Ben must have been downright spine shilling as he carried the rifle in 105 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:30.639 one hand and the shotgun in the other. Shooting with complete abandon, Ben 106 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:35.080 fired into the glass cases in the meat department and ambled along toward the produce 107 00:09:35.120 --> 00:09:39.879 section. Shoppers ran for their lives. Some hid behind anything large enough to 108 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:43.879 conceal their form, while others gathered their courage and strength to fight back. 109 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:48.559 One such patron, Molly, was shopping with her husband when they heard the 110 00:09:48.600 --> 00:09:52.600 shooting. Molly drew her own handgun from her purse, while her husband ran 111 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:56.639 out the front door to retrieve his own firearm from their car. People were 112 00:09:56.679 --> 00:10:01.279 screaming, some the blood curdling screams of one who was suffering from a great 113 00:10:01.320 --> 00:10:07.679 deal of pain or fear, while others were yelling to run and active shooter. 114 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:11.759 When Ben finally made his way to the produce section. A Safeway employee 115 00:10:11.799 --> 00:10:16.240 named Donald was also ready to fight back. He was either going to stop 116 00:10:16.279 --> 00:10:24.000 the shooter or he was going to die trying. Donald did both. He 117 00:10:24.039 --> 00:10:28.000 grabbed a produce knife, clutching the green handle as he stealthily stepped just behind 118 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:33.039 a produce cart. As Ben approached and peered away from Donald, Donald sprang 119 00:10:33.120 --> 00:10:39.639 into action, stabbing Ben while simultaneously trying to disarm him. Unfortunately, Ben 120 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:46.360 managed to gain control of his weapons and shot and killed Donald. Sir engaged 121 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:50.879 with the shooter, attempted to disarm him, and may very well have prevented 122 00:10:50.919 --> 00:10:58.519 further deaths. Mister Syrett acted heroically during this terrible incident. Sixty six year 123 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:03.399 old Donald, called Don Ray Surrett, Junior, died a hero. His 124 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:09.639 actions very likely saved many other lives and most certainly stalled the shooter as first 125 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:13.080 responders raced to the scene. The twenty year old Army vet was born on 126 00:11:13.080 --> 00:11:18.759 December sixteenth, nineteen fifty five, and had served as a combat engineer. 127 00:11:18.279 --> 00:11:22.600 Although Don wasn't deployed into an active combat zone, he was stationed in Germany 128 00:11:22.679 --> 00:11:28.159 three separate times and lived on various military bases across the United States. Dawn 129 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:33.360 worked in the Visitor Information in Interpretive services, in Operations and maintenance divisions for 130 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:39.600 the United States Forest Services. He worked in the ben Fort Rock Ranger District 131 00:11:39.799 --> 00:11:46.120 for the Forest Services over six different seasons from twenty twelve to twenty seventeen. 132 00:11:46.200 --> 00:11:52.799 Dawn was described as big hearted and a devoted husband to wife Jacqueline. He 133 00:11:52.039 --> 00:11:56.879 was an active member of the Lepine Seventh day Adventist Church as well as the 134 00:11:56.879 --> 00:12:03.480 Disabled American Vets Chapter fourteen Adjutant and Treasurer. Donn is survived by three children, 135 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:09.519 seven grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. A GoFundMe was established in his 136 00:12:09.559 --> 00:12:15.879 honor, and it raised nearly one hundred and thirty thousand dollars, which is 137 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:22.039 a testament to how many lives Don touched. At seven oh eight pm, 138 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:26.519 only minutes after Ben initially shot into his own truck, Ben leaned back against 139 00:12:26.519 --> 00:12:31.720 the same product cart that Don hid behind moments earlier. He drew the shotgun 140 00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:41.080 up towards his lap, and he completed suicide. Police were already on the 141 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:45.159 scene by that point and entered the store both through the front and rear entrances. 142 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:48.840 A Ben police officer made his way to the produced department, where he 143 00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:52.480 saw Ben sitting on the ground. Blood was quickly pulling around him, and 144 00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:58.000 it was evident that he was deceased. The officer withdrew the firearm from Ben's 145 00:12:58.039 --> 00:13:01.559 lap. Ben's hand was draped over the weapon and both were drenched in blood. 146 00:13:03.600 --> 00:13:07.720 The officer moved the gun to safety as a precaution, and then returned 147 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:11.919 to his fellow officers to assist in clearing the scene. Not a single Bend 148 00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:18.440 police officer fired a shot. This is specifically mentioned to give context to the 149 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:22.759 massive amount of shots that Ben fired. It was over one hundred rounds in 150 00:13:22.840 --> 00:13:28.480 all, between his own truck, the parking lots, the big lots, 151 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:33.320 and of course, the safeway. The entire shooting lasted eight minutes, making 152 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:37.679 it an average of twelve and a half bullets fired per minute. Police continued 153 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:41.399 to clear the safeway, locating people hiding in the restrooms and store cooler, 154 00:13:41.799 --> 00:13:48.279 and escorted the shaken customers and employees from the store. A search of Ben's 155 00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:52.720 apartment and truck produced a sawed off shotgun and three molotov cocktails. Out of 156 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:56.519 an abundance of caution, the bomb squad was called in to search the apartment 157 00:13:56.679 --> 00:14:03.360 and the Safeway, both of which were deemed Subsequent investigation determined that Ben was 158 00:14:03.399 --> 00:14:07.399 previously employed by the Safeway grocery store. Ben's mother was a Safeway employee, 159 00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:13.559 working, according to her Facebook profile, as a quote personnel coordinator. What 160 00:14:13.720 --> 00:14:16.919 isn't clear is whether they were employed there at the same time, or, 161 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:22.519 more importantly, the significance of the Safeway store or why it was chosen as 162 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:28.039 the shooting site. Ben purchased the ammunition a day prior to the shooting, 163 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:33.159 and there were several boxes of ammo located back in Ben's apartment, along with 164 00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:37.440 the boxes for the firearms used in the shooting, purchased legally, and several 165 00:14:37.480 --> 00:14:43.080 cell phones. Search warrants were obtained for all electronic devices, and police collected 166 00:14:43.120 --> 00:14:48.120 nearly one hundred and seventy five pieces of evidence, ninety video clips, and 167 00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:54.559 several sets of photographs. Investigators interviewed over eighty people while surveillance was obtained from 168 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:58.919 as many local businesses as possible. There was surveillance video from the Big Lots 169 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:05.200 which depicts multiple shoppers clearly running for safety while others were standing by the windows 170 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:09.759 pointing into the parking lot. Seconds later, those same people in front of 171 00:15:09.799 --> 00:15:13.960 the window could be seen turning and running as the glass from the window exploded 172 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:18.519 into millions of tiny shards that fell to the floor. Initially, there were 173 00:15:18.639 --> 00:15:37.159 reports of two shooters, though it was promptly determined that Ben acted alone. 174 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:43.080 Ben was born on October thirty one, two thousand and one. He graduated 175 00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:48.759 from Mountain View High School in twenty twenty. His high school years were fraught 176 00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:54.039 with anxiety and anger. He often got into fights, although Ben would describe 177 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:58.360 himself as one who suffered from isolation and loneliness, which was a direct result 178 00:15:58.440 --> 00:16:03.279 of the COVID nineteen pandemic. Ben's initial plans were to attack his former high 179 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:07.159 school on the first day of class. However, according to evidence police located 180 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:11.559 later, Ben couldn't wait any longer. He needed to carry out his murder 181 00:16:11.559 --> 00:16:19.759 plan because quote the rage has become uncontrollable. A former classmate claimed that Ben 182 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:26.240 was extremely aggressive and didn't have many friends as a result. Another classmate claimed 183 00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:30.080 that as a freshman, they were suspended for a week after fighting with Ben. 184 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:33.039 The classmate thought that Ben always held a grudge after that, and in 185 00:16:33.080 --> 00:16:37.159 fact, during one encounter between the two after high school, Ben was working 186 00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:41.159 at the Safeway and was in the parking lot collecting shopping carts when he came 187 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:48.759 across the classmate, whom Ben instantly recognized. Ben approached and threatened the classmate, 188 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:52.159 who knew enough to take the threat seriously. Yet another classmate, a 189 00:16:52.279 --> 00:16:57.120 Keela Havrlant, claimed that Ben wasn't well liked because of his attitude towards others, 190 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:02.120 and further explained that he was mean and awkward, but it was how 191 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:06.599 uncomfortable he made his female classmates feel that stuck with a kale of the most. 192 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:11.319 So many students described Ben as the kid who was most likely to turn 193 00:17:11.960 --> 00:17:17.200 into a school shooter. The signs were there and clear to almost anyone who 194 00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:22.279 took the time to look. Perhaps it's time that we really start listening when 195 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:26.720 this becomes the mantra about a person. Ben was fascinated with MMA, or 196 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:32.480 mixed martial arts, and even trained at a local gym called Danzig Mma. 197 00:17:33.200 --> 00:17:37.839 The pandemic shuddered all gyms, and Ben never started back up when everything reopened. 198 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:41.279 He had no criminal history and not even a record of any sort of 199 00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:47.720 contact with law enforcement. He most certainly was never on their radar. Perhaps 200 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:52.039 the single most important, perhaps even the only insight into Ben's state of mind 201 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:56.920 or why the rage burned so deeply within him, came from his manifesto. 202 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:03.039 The fifty six page docs document detailed Ben's utter hatred of the government, the 203 00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:11.720 COVID lockdowns, women technology, and many other rants. He described his desire 204 00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:15.279 to kill a harm, and the writing read like a diary that Ben appeared 205 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:18.880 to have been keeping for about two months before the shooting. The manifesto shows 206 00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:25.119 a very clear decline in Ben's mental health, and he discussed his precise plans 207 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:30.839 for a school shooting Columbine style. Ben likened himself to an introvert who had 208 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:36.599 anger issues, and he frequently talked about how dangerous he was. Most chillingly, 209 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:41.440 Ben preemptively blamed family members for the shooting, claiming that they drove him 210 00:18:41.480 --> 00:18:45.559 to want to murder innocent people, though he never really seems to explain how 211 00:18:45.720 --> 00:18:52.000 they did so. There are several excerpts from Ben's manifesto that, while disturbing, 212 00:18:52.519 --> 00:18:57.039 bring you our listeners into the mind of pure evil. Some of these 213 00:18:57.079 --> 00:19:03.200 excerpts will be read here for you now. Regarding the COVID lockdowns, he 214 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:07.599 said, quote, I still haven't been able to pull myself out of that 215 00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:14.480 state. Despite numerous attempts at getting back into Mma, which I still love 216 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:18.640 so dearly and always will, despite numerous jobs, despite numerous attempts at finding 217 00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:23.680 love once again, despite numerous attempts at being social and trying to make new 218 00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:30.759 friendships, they have all proved futile. The first page of the manifest reads, 219 00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:36.279 in part quote, if you're reading this, then I'm definitely dead and 220 00:19:36.359 --> 00:19:41.079 have just committed a national tragedy. I've left this journal for all the investigators, 221 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:45.799 media, internet salutes, etc. But most importantly, this is for 222 00:19:45.880 --> 00:19:51.319 the very few people that I actually care about and want to understand why and 223 00:19:51.400 --> 00:19:55.839 how this happened so that they can be at peace. I'm going to lay 224 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:59.920 it all out for you so that by the end of all of this you 225 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:03.720 you will understand why I did what I did. What you'll see here is 226 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:11.000 the documentation and description of the months, weeks, days from today up until 227 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:17.519 the massacre, and he said, quote, this shooting is going to be 228 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:22.079 a bit different. I'm not like the typical mass shooter. I'm different. 229 00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:26.759 I'm not doing this for fame or to get revenge. I simply want to 230 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:30.640 die and leave a lasting impression and violent mark on this world on my way 231 00:20:30.680 --> 00:20:34.960 out. My life could have been different, but because of the mistakes and 232 00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:41.599 choices I've made, it led me here. I'm not exactly upset with it, 233 00:20:41.640 --> 00:20:47.319 though, I will find peace on the other side. A week before 234 00:20:47.359 --> 00:20:52.119 the shooting, Ben wrote the following quote, rage, I just keep building 235 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:56.680 it up, keep piling it on. I need it, I need it 236 00:20:56.799 --> 00:21:02.400 more. Depression is as old bitch and gets in the way of my motivation. 237 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:07.359 Life fucking sucks. I know that. I'm aware, too, aware. 238 00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:14.519 It's one hundred percent reel now it's sunk in and I'm ready. I'm 239 00:21:14.559 --> 00:21:18.000 ready to just stop thinking, to get on with it and move on. 240 00:21:18.680 --> 00:21:23.480 I hope. I fucking scare you fuckers. God the media is gonna be 241 00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:30.319 so pathetic. Mountain View. Fuck that school. No good memories about that 242 00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:36.839 school or the staff within it. Shock and awe. That's what I'm going 243 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:41.440 for. This cess pit town has been growing more and more environment over the 244 00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:47.119 last few years, but nothing like this, not even close. I'm going 245 00:21:47.160 --> 00:21:52.799 to shape this place to its fucking core. Ben wrapped up his manifesto with 246 00:21:52.839 --> 00:22:00.000 the following quote, you guys are all so shocked and appalled. I'm picture 247 00:22:00.039 --> 00:22:06.079 during it now. I've always been dangerous, so look at ticking fucking time 248 00:22:06.119 --> 00:22:14.119 bomb reddic blow. About two weeks after the shooting, the Safeway reopened to 249 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:18.079 the general public. Each shelf was neatly stalked, merchandise lined up in a 250 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:22.240 uniform manner, and sparkling clean. The pharmacy gleamed with a new coat of 251 00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:26.160 paint, and the entire store beckoned customers to come back in and shop. 252 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:34.400 For added safety, the store instituted a security guard, fully equipped with a 253 00:22:34.440 --> 00:22:42.839 bulletproof vest, just outside of the store. We all have the unique ability 254 00:22:42.839 --> 00:22:48.000 to help prevent such a catastrophic event from happening if we keep our eyes and 255 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:53.480 ears open and never hesitate to report when something or someone just doesn't seem right. 256 00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:59.759 With a delicate balance of mental health reform, education, active shooter training, 257 00:22:59.799 --> 00:23:03.799 and common sense gun laws, we may one day realize the dream, 258 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:07.240 the dream that there will be no more active shootings. We pray that love 259 00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:14.799 will prevail over hate. Too many have died, we should say to ourselves, 260 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:19.720 not one more. In the meantime, we urge our listeners to stay 261 00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:25.160 aware of your surroundings and keep in touch with your loved ones. If you 262 00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:30.000 see something, say something, you never know how many lives you'll be saving. 263 00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:42.559 Thank you for listening to today's episode of Active Shooter the Podcast. Remember, 264 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:48.240 if you see something, say something, there's no telling how many lives 265 00:23:48.279 --> 00:23:52.599 you may be saving. A big thank you to Darren Curtis, who composed 266 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:57.839 some of the songs on our show. You can find him online at www 267 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:04.079 dot Curtis music dot com. Make sure to check us out on social media. 268 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:10.680 You can find us on Facebook at Active Shooter the Podcast and on Twitter 269 00:24:11.119 --> 00:24:17.039 at podcast Active. Thank you and be safe.