By I just cannot understand why people would do something like this?:
The bloodbath began when an 8-year-old girl attending a Christmas Eve party answered a knock at the door. A man dressed as Santa and carrying what appeared to a present pulled out a handgun and shot her in the face, then began shooting indiscriminately as partygoers tried to flee.
By the time it was over, at least eight people at the party were dead and the house was torched. The gunman killed himself hours after exacting revenge against his ex-wife by going on a massacre at his former in-laws’ home.
Bruce Pardo’s ex-wife and her parents were believed to be among the dead. At daybreak Friday, investigators planned to resume searching what was left of their two-story home on a cul-de-sac in a quiet Covina neighborhood 25 miles east of Los Angeles.
Pardo, 45, had no criminal record and no history of violence, according to police, but he was angry following last week’s settlement of his divorce after a marriage that lasted barely a year.
“It was not an amicable divorce,” police Lt. Pat Buchanan said.
Investigators seeking further information about Pardo’s motives have begun searching his home in the suburban Los Angeles community of Montrose. [Associated Press]
Even if someone has overwhelming rage at their ex-wife, why would shoot an eight year old girl in the face?
11:49 am on December 26th, 2008 1
Nothing was warranted, nothing was justified, it was just a nightmare too horrible for anyone to even contemplate. Tragic.
12:03 pm on December 26th, 2008 2
No kidding. The whole thing is disgusting.
1:24 pm on December 26th, 2008 3
A lump of coal would have been sufficient.
1:36 pm on December 26th, 2008 4
It must be a slow news day, GI. This has nothing to do with Korea or the military. Interesting, though.
My guess is that after a "marriage that lasted barely a year," she received a settlement that was not fair to the husband who brought much more to the marriage in the beginning. Her parents/family likely supported or encouraged her unreasonable and emotional demands instead of guiding her to make a fair arrangement. The court went along with it to "make up" for past imbalances in the system that favored men.
I hypothesize this with a high degree of surety simply because I have seen this same scenario play out countless times and I would expect this one to be no different.
America's entitlement/it's for free/just sue them culture has affected divorcing women and the courts all-to-often reinforce it.
When you take away the rewards of a lifetime of hard work and replace it with hopelessness, people with no criminal records or history of violence can stop caring. This is the result.
Unfortunately, there will be no lesson learned. The focus will be on a crazy guy that shot an 8 year-old instead of reforming a warped system that pushed him there.
1:45 pm on December 26th, 2008 5
I would have to whole-heartedly agree with JAFO on his assessment. To get semi on-topic: Look at how this issue effects the military. I don't care how you add it up. No spouse earned 50% (or more) of a soldiers retirement. Especially if they turn around and marry their divorce lawyer
(seen it happen)…
3:15 pm on December 26th, 2008 6
JAFO
You make a good point. Well said.
6:12 pm on December 26th, 2008 7
So, GI Korea, what does overwhelming rage with one’s ex-wife justify? Why do you stop with only shooting the child? Was everything else warranted?
10:55 pm on December 26th, 2008 8
she pissed the wrong guy off –
1:25 am on December 27th, 2008 9
Yes this time of year is a slow news period. Yes this guy wasn't justified to kill anyone, but if his anger was directed at his ex-wife why shoot an eight year old in the face? People like this piss me off.
4:26 am on December 27th, 2008 10
"why shoot an eight year old in the face?"
"Nits make lice." — Col. John M. Chivington
8:12 am on December 27th, 2008 11
As my aunt would say, when people stop believing in Hell and eternal punishment then there is nothing that can stop them from commiting such acts.
11:18 am on December 27th, 2008 12
‘A Listener’ has a good point. However, one can approach it in a slightly different manner. There is a great quote from the 19th century Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky in his book The Brothers Karamazov. It goes something like this: “If there is no God and immortality all is lawful and that’s the end of it.” I am assuming Fyodor Dostoyevsky had a holy and righteous God in mind. Unfortunately, the Santa Claus killer did not believe in either a holy God or hell; if he had, he would not have done what he did. I’m confident he is a believer now.
1:48 pm on December 27th, 2008 13
"When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realized that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me."
– Emo Philips
2:08 am on December 28th, 2008 14
We do not know the view he had of a "higher authority." Perhaps "god" told him to do this, ala Abraham? To state that religion prevents people from killing one another seems a rather fantastic claim. Take a moment to think before you type.
"morals are not the sole domain of religion" – me
7:41 am on December 28th, 2008 15
#14, but without a belief in sins, then morals are nothing more than an optional opinion. Hopefully more people choose the option.
9:08 am on December 28th, 2008 16
Well I do not believe in sin, but I do have morals.
I would kill this Santa on sight regardless of consequences, preferably with a shot to the face.
10:00 am on December 28th, 2008 17
Your correct again A Listener. Without an authority higher than oneself or a governing authority a person or group of people become the judge of right and wrong. Thus, the leadership of World War II Germany could argue that what would be considered a crime in one society was an accepted norm sanctioned by the governing authorities in their own society. I believe the prosecutors at the Nuremburg Trials had to fall back on what is called natural law (lex naturalis): the theory that posits the existence of a law whose content is set by nature and that therefore has validity everywhere.
11:44 am on December 28th, 2008 18
"I would kill this Santa on sight regardless of consequences, preferably with a shot to the face."
I would let him blast his greedy, money-grubbing ex-wife first, though. I might let him do her parents,too, for nurturing and encouraging such a piece of work, too.
2:45 pm on December 29th, 2008 19
Very good point Jafo. We all to often look to solve problems with punishment instead of looking to the root cause. The legal system seems to accept no responsibility in these situations. Its time for change. But I doubt that will occur.
3:10 pm on December 29th, 2008 20
“The legal system seems to accept no responsibility in these situations. Its time for change. But I doubt that will occur.”
I don’t get it, David. We do not know anything about what really went on between these two people. However, we do know that this man decided to carry out a despicable act. How about saying, “It’s time for people to take responsibility for their own bad conduct, regardless of the circumstances.” Problems are not amicably resolved by blaming the system and failing to take responsibility for one’s own immoral conduct. Even if he got the dirty end of the stick in a legal dispute, repaying evil with evil does not bring successful resolution. It just brings perverse and temporary satisfaction to a person of bad character.
8:04 pm on December 30th, 2008 21
[...] the principle, has also served as an example.** An interesting discussion going in the comments to this ROK Drop post about the man in the Santa suit who killed eight people before killing himself. Killing people is [...]
4:55 pm on January 1st, 2009 22
A bit late for this to reach everyone but here's a follow-up story:
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/world/santa-…
7:38 pm on January 1st, 2009 23
"It just goes through your mind: what was she thinking at that moment when she looked in his eyes?"
"I bet he is thinking I should have gotten a job instead of insisting on a ridiculous amount of spousal support that he is unable to afford. I guess, on the bright side, this will save a lot of lives as it will serve as a warning to other greedy freeloading shrews and the friends and family members who empower them."