5 People Killed at Florida Sun Trust Bank by 21 Year Old Guy

[Sniper 6,372]

Seems like another deranged shooter than no one saw coming. Reports coming out on what type of questionable past he had. He was a corrections officer in training from this past Nov. to Jan.

SEBRING, Fla. (WFLA) - A woman who said she dated Sebring bank shooting suspect Zephen Xaver says he often talked about wanting to hurt people and she tried warning people in the past, but no one believed her.

Xaver, 21, is accused of opening fire inside a Sebring SunTrust bank Wednesday, killing five people.

Alex Gerlach lives in the South Bend, Indiana area and told WSBT TV that she dated Xaver off and on for two years and has kept in touch with him.

She said that Xaver often talked about wanting to hurt people and recently showed her a photo of a handgun. Gerlach told WSBT TV that she did not think anything of it.
Gerlach also described Xaver as being fascinated with death and guns.

"For some reason [he] always hated people and wanted everyone to die. He got kicked out of school for having a dream that he killed everybody in his class,” she said.
Gerlach said "every single person I've told has not taken it seriously, and it's very unfortunate that it had to come to this."

Investigators did not offer a possible motive, and a police spokesman said he did not know if the attack began as a robbery.

Five people were killed inside the bank. Their identities have not been released.

https://www.wfla.com/1722447600

 

 

[Sniper 6,372]

More background information:

Alex Gerlach told The Washington Post she used to date Xaver intermittently for about three years. She told the newspaper they met at a psychiatric hospital in 2013 in Plymouth, Ind. and he had talked about killing before.

“Since the time we met he had this fascination with death,” Gerlach told The Washington Post. “It got worse as we broke up. We got back together on and off for a while. Then I decided it was too much for my mental health.”

Gerlach said Xaver told her he had purchased a gun last week but thought nothing of it because he had always liked guns. She said she believes he purchased a handgun, according to The Washington Post.

Another friend, who spoke to The Washington Post on condition of anonymity, said Xaver told her he wanted to join the military “because he wanted to kill people.” The friend said Xaver had messaged her late Tuesday night and she now fears he was reaching out for help. The friends told the newspaper they’d been telling Xaver to get help for years.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-bank-shooting-suspect-had-fascination-with-death-talked-about-killing-before-friends-say

Somebody saw something, but didn't do anything. Sounds very similar to Parkland.

Just wait, he comes the NEW call to ban guns, since we all know, it's the guns doing these killings, and not the mentally ill individuals.

 

 

 

 

 

[1LtCAP 4,263]

semi-auto ban attempt in

3

2

1

[leahcim 680]

1 hour ago, Sniper said:

Somebody saw something, but didn't do anything. Sounds very similar to Parkland.

Just wait, he comes the NEW call to ban guns, since we all know, it's the guns doing these killings, and not the mentally ill individuals.

It sounds like Ms. Gerlach did do something, but nothing happened.

"she tried warning people in the past, but no one believed her."

But it does not sound like Xaver did anything that would have prohibited him from purchasing.  Maybe a "Red Flag" law would have stopped him?  But those laws are problematic also from a due process perspective.

[Vicious 138]

Rant/Let's not address the fact that there is no household anymore. Both parents work, the grandparents work and the kids grow up alone. Then they wonder why these "psych" issues go undetected or untreated./endRant 

[njJoniGuy 2,131]

Wait a minute ...

How does a guy that was in a psychiatric hospital in 2013 legally purchase a gun??

[Darrenf 422]

32 minutes ago, njJoniGuy said:

Wait a minute ...

How does a guy that was in a psychiatric hospital in 2013 legally purchase a gun??

He doesn't live in Jersey and sign away his HIPAA rights in order to purchase, that's how. 

[myhatinthering 462]

ANNNNNNNNNNDDDD, he was training for corrections.  wow

5 minutes ago, Darrenf said:

He doesn't live in Jersey and sign away his HIPAA rights in order to purchase, that's how. 

cant believe this hasn't been challenged and beaten yet

[Darrenf 422]

1 minute ago, myhatinthering said:

 

cant believe this hasn't been challenged and beaten yet

Are you new to the jackasses sitting behind the bench in the 3rd circuit?

[Sniper 6,372]

1 hour ago, Vicious said:

Rant/Let's not address the fact that there is no household anymore. Both parents work, the grandparents work and the kids grow up alone. Then they wonder why these "psych" issues go undetected or untreated./endRant 

That seems to be the case. The majority of these deranged shooters come from broken/divorced households?

Is there a pattern?

Plus, a neighbor reported he'd hear the kid up late in the morning playing video games. Are these killing games part of the problem, where shooting people in real life is just like shooting them in the video?

[Zeke 5,504]

Let’s not fall into the blame things trap. This individual is solely to blame for his actions. 

[Sniper 6,372]

Many people's actions come from being a victim to their environment.

 

[Vicious 138]

Just now, Sniper said:

Many people's actions come from being a victim to their environment.

 

Not blaming environment at all. I’m saying that people born with legit mental illness are now society’s problem. Back in the day when Johnny said he was going to kill everyone, the family kept an eye on him.

There are fakers, however, there are also people with real issues. Go take a walk in your local psych ward.

[Handyman 5,682]

They hire people with a history of psychiatric incarceration to work as corrections officers?

What could possibly go wrong?

[Sniper 6,372]

38 minutes ago, Vicious said:

Not blaming environment at all. I’m saying that people born with legit mental illness are now society’s problem. Back in the day when Johnny said he was going to kill everyone, the family kept an eye on him.

OK, so in this instance, half his family is in Florida the other half in Indiana. So which one should take responsibility for watching him, knowing he has a history of mental illness?

 

[Sniper 6,372]

12:30 p.m.

Xaver entered the SunTrust Bank, 1901 U.S. 27 South, with a gun. He immediately contacted bank employees and a bank customer, and overtook the bank by force.

He then shot everyone in the bank.

12:36 p.m.

After shooting them, Xaver called 911 on himself. He told dispatchers that he had killed five people in the bank.

The thoughts and the acts of local dispatchers were to maintain phone contact with him until responding units arrived at the scene.

12:40 p.m.

Units from the Highlands County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the bank.

12:42 p.m.

Units from the Sebring Police Department responded 2 minutes later.

Both units maintained observation and control of the scene until other units arrived, including crisis negotiators.

12:44 p.m.

A SWAT callout was initiated in hopes that authorities could assume responsibility of the scene. During crisis negotiations with Xaver, it appeared he was not willing to allow law enforcement authorities access to the victims in the bank.

1:54 p.m.

The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team entered the bank at the request of Sebring Police Chief Karl Hoglund. The team entered by crashing through the front doors in an armored SWAT vehicle, according to the Sheriff's Office.

2:28 p.m.

After entering and securing the scene, authorities located Xaver in a rear office and took him into custody, according to an arrest affidavit. He had a bulletproof vest and a 9 mm handgun, the affidavit stated.

They immediately began assessing victims. All victims had succumbed to their injuries inside the bank.

The victims were found lying face down in the lobby with gunshot wounds in the backs of their heads and upper torsos, according to the affidavit.

https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2019/01/24/sebring-shooting-suntrust-bank-timeline/2665948002/

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

43 minutes ago, Vicious said:

Back in the day when Johnny said he was going to kill everyone, the family kept an eye on him.

Although I agree with what you're saying, it's also true that back in the day Johnny was more likely to have been committed to a secure ward. Due to some widely publicized abuses at mental institutions several decades ago, the pendulum has now swung too far in the other direction, and now, arguably, some of the seriously mentally ill who SHOULD be institutionalized are out walking among us - and often they're off their meds.

We shuttered many of our major psychiatric institutions and replaced them with... nothing. We have fewer psych beds available in the country today than in the 1950's!! But we don't have fewer mentally ill people. In addition, laws like HIPPA virtually guarantee that if Johnny were to mention his violent fantasies to his doctor but NOT his family, that doctor would be prohibited from telling the family. We've made it 100x harder to get a person institutionalized (even when they desperately need it) - it is a costly, drawn out process - a hurdle that many families can't afford.

Again, there were abuses of the mentally ill and I would argue it used to be far too easy to take someone's freedom away and toss them in a mental ward forever  - but the patient's rights movement has pushed us much too far in the other direction. There should be a correction to that IMO. Or we will continue to see an increasing number of cases just like this one.

[Handyman 5,682]

1 hour ago, Mrs. Peel said:

some of the seriously mentally ill who SHOULD be institutionalized are out walking among us - and often they're off their meds.

[Mrs. Peel 7,157]

1 minute ago, Handyman said:

Yeah, I'd have to agree with that...! 

[Ray Ray 3,566]

3 hours ago, Handyman said:

They hire people with a history of psychiatric incarceration to work as corrections officers?

What could possibly go wrong?

Bingo 

The officer who did his interview and background check is going to get a few phone calls and interviews of his own.

[njJoniGuy 2,131]

Xaver should have received electroshock therapy while he was institutionalized ... with a 277v line cord.

Four bank employees and a customer would have gone home to their families yesterday.

[Vicious 138]

4 hours ago, Mrs. Peel said:

Although I agree with what you're saying, it's also true that back in the day Johnny was more likely to have been committed to a secure ward. Due to some widely publicized abuses at mental institutions several decades ago, the pendulum has now swung too far in the other direction, and now, arguably, some of the seriously mentally ill who SHOULD be institutionalized are out walking among us - and often they're off their meds.

We shuttered many of our major psychiatric institutions and replaced them with... nothing. We have fewer psych beds available in the country today than in the 1950's!! But we don't have fewer mentally ill people. In addition, laws like HIPPA virtually guarantee that if Johnny were to mention his violent fantasies to his doctor but NOT his family, that doctor would be prohibited from telling the family. We've made it 100x harder to get a person institutionalized (even when they desperately need it) - it is a costly, drawn out process - a hurdle that many families can't afford.

Again, there were abuses of the mentally ill and I would argue it used to be far too easy to take someone's freedom away and toss them in a mental ward forever  - but the patient's rights movement has pushed us much too far in the other direction. There should be a correction to that IMO. Or we will continue to see an increasing number of cases just like this one.

Most accurate interpretation of what I attempted to say. Lol

Mental illness is the elephant in the room for politicians. There is no clear cut solution, so ban guns.

[raz-0 1,259]

17 hours ago, Sniper said:

That seems to be the case. The majority of these deranged shooters come from broken/divorced households?

Is there a pattern?

Plus, a neighbor reported he'd hear the kid up late in the morning playing video games. Are these killing games part of the problem, where shooting people in real life is just like shooting them in the video?

Dear god, let go of the video games. 

You do realize that people who play video games these days is basically.. Everyone. If it caused dangerous aberrant behavior, the crime rate would be shooting through the roof, not declining.  

One of the key issues is mental health, and our health care system in the US. 

Back in the 80s, your tax dollars funded a significant amount of charity care for metal illness. Today that's almost nonexistent. Back then if you wound up in court for doing questionable shit, it was a lot easier to remand you for observation and treatment than it is today. The net result is problem people get flagged as problematic much, much later if at all. 

 

[Sniper 6,372]

21 minutes ago, raz-0 said:

Dear god, let go of the video games. 

http://www.center4research.org/violent-video-games-can-increase-aggression/

https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/03/26/violentvideogames

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2015/08/violent-video-games.aspx

 

[Darrenf 422]

5 minutes ago, Sniper said:

http://www.center4research.org/violent-video-games-can-increase-aggression/

https://www.news.iastate.edu/news/2013/03/26/violentvideogames

https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2015/08/violent-video-games.aspx

 

Blaming video games is no different than blaming guns for violence.

 

https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/the-texas-sharpshooter

[Sniper 6,372]

3 minutes ago, Darrenf said:

Blaming video games is no different than blaming guns for violence.

... “No single risk factor consistently leads a person to act aggressively or violently,” the report states. “Rather, it is the accumulation of risk factors that tends to lead to aggressive or violent behavior. The research reviewed here demonstrates that violent video game use is one such risk factor.”

 

[Darrenf 422]

2 minutes ago, Sniper said:

... “No single risk factor consistently leads a person to act aggressively or violently,” the report states. “Rather, it is the accumulation of risk factors that tends to lead to aggressive or violent behavior. The research reviewed here demonstrates that violent video game use is one such risk factor.”

 

Oh, well I'm convinced now.  no doubt those same "researchers" could call watching football a risk factor.  

[1LtCAP 4,263]

17 hours ago, Sniper said:

Many people's actions come from being a victim to their environment.

 

by that standard the guy that breaks into your or my house isn't really to blame, but rather his environment is.

[myhatinthering 462]

of course you can find a study to validate just about any position as the study itself and it's determinants must be questioned

since women entered the workforce and divorce rates began to climb in the 70s, we've seen a jump in a lot of issues that simply were not as prevalent as it was prior to this

[GunsnFreedom 245]

The "studies" that posit risk factors are frankly a bunch of people that use statistics poorly and explain them poorly.  Correlation =/= causation which is the fallacy we run into all the time with research studies and reporting.  There is a reason every few years a new report comes out telling us why so many people are fat.  They do a study and see that a lot of fat people eat meat, so they say well meat must make people fat.  Or people that have heart attacks also have high cholesterol.  Well, high cholesterol must cause heart attacks.  The problem is they are taking the correlation of meat and fat people and saying it's causation. 

In turn, do people that are violent play violent video games?  Probably, but that doesn't mean the games cause violence.  It's just a correlation - and frankly one that likely happens in the reverse order.  Violent people seek out violent video games.  In order to get a true causation (which actually almost never happens in the real world) you would have to look at a double blind before and after test using the same population.  Are they as/more/less violent after playing video games than before?  Since this test is nearly impossible in the real world, we really cannot know.

A good explanatory anecdote is rain and umbrellas.  Many people carry umbrellas before it rains.  If you were an outside observer you may see everyone carrying an umbrella, seeing it rain and believe that people carrying umbrellas causes it to rain.  Statistically you could even show it.  But in reality, we know that people carry an umbrella in anticipation of rain.