IMO this has nothing to do with smarts. Street or otherwise.
He's an odd bird. Doesn't live in the same world as you or me.
True. His grandfather says he was normal. Nothing unusual. An ex says he slashed her mom's tires. Others have said he was quiet and blank but nothing to indicate he was insane or dangerous.
But something is up. He did not work. he has no work history to speak of. How was he supporting himself? Where was his dad living? Why was he living in that house alone? If his dad moved, why not sell it? Did the parents decide their errant son could live there rent free because he was - what as the word
@MassGuy used? Failed to grow up or be independent.
Seems some enabling going on. That sure doesn't mean they're to blame. But it creates a fuller picture of this weirdo.
No. He would've had to have been laid off AND had worked for enough time to be eligible for benefits. It doesn't appear he worked anywhere long enough.
How did he eat? Were his parents giving him money too? Free housing and money? Did he get food stamps? A lot of isolation. Why? I see a lot of these types are enabled by family to not remedy their issues. Like the Newton coward. His mother wrapped bubble wrap around him and made it easy for him not to get help.
Same with the Umpqua shooter:
"He was born in
Torrance, California to Ian Mercer and Laurel Margaret Harper, and lived with his mother during the separation and divorce of his parents, who agreed to shared legal custody. Harper-Mercer continued to live with his mother and remained with her when she moved to Oregon for work.
[45] His father had not seen him for about two years following his son's move out of state.
[46][47][48]
Harper-Mercer
joined the U.S. Army in 2008, but was discharged after five weeks for his failure to meet the "minimum administrative standards" of basic training at
Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
[32][49] Officials linked to the investigation said that he was discharged as the result of a suicide attempt, but Army officials did not comment on this.
[50] In 2009, he graduated from Switzer Learning Center, a school for teenagers with learning disabilities or emotional issues.
[19][51] Laurel Harper was reportedly protective of him[52] and tried to shield him from various perceived annoyances, some of them minor, in their neighborhood in
Torrance, California.
[49] From early 2010 to early 2012, Harper-Mercer attended
El Camino College in Torrance.
[53]
Umpqua Community College shooting - Wikipedia (Emphasis mine).
BTW, I know this guy isn't a mass shooter but I see a lot of similarities.
I Looked again and you're right. I saw it here in this video:
Video: Jake Patterson's older brother and father arrive for court hearing | Daily Mail Online
He is very unattractive in comparison with the rest of his family, though and that likely added to whatever rage he had.