I doubt the parents gave direct encouragement. Then again, encouragement does not need to be direct.I see the parents being bashed all over the internet and it doesn't seem fair to me.
Unless it comes out that they encouraged him to go to that school and shoot it up, I will give them the benefit of the doubt
Likewise, I seriously doubt the shooter's behavior problems suddenly surfaced after the father bought a weapon and left it unsecured (Black Friday). Instead, this seems to be the fact pattern:
- Son had a history of behavior concerns.
- Father buys a weapon, leaves it unsecured.
- Son had ready access to the weapon. In one social media post, he describes it as "his" and openly invites questions about it.
- Parents have meeting with school about behavior
- Son murders four people.
In short, it is highly likely that the parents knew that their son had behavior problems- and still purchased a weapon- then decided not only to leave it unsecured, but might of given it to their son. The weapon in question is a modern, easy to use pistol, not say, a single shot shotgun.
To me the harsh criticism seems easily warranted.