CA - Malibu Creek State Park Shooting, Tristan Beaudette, 35, 22 June 2018 *Arrest*

[Oregonmama]

I happen to have been camping in another California state campground last weekend. So, yes, you do know your campsite # ahead of time. And, when you get there, your name is written on a little card that is clipped onto the campsite # sign. So, our site said, #31 - Smith" or whatever. So anyone looking for TB could have easily found him. The only hard part would have been deciding which tent he was in.

Another thing to know is that these campgrounds are not staffed at night. At some of them, there MAY be a staff member during the day. If they are not there, you just get a permit for the cars at a little station and deposit the necessary fees. The only "authority" figures there 24/7 are the campground hosts, typically 65+ year old retirees who are sound asleep in their RV at that time of night!

I agree with most others who say that sound carries VERY easily in a campground. I can hear people in nearby tents when they open the zipper on their tent or snore. A vehicle pulling up would have woken up a lot of people. And a gunshot would have woken up MANY people. It makes zero sense that only one person called 911. There must have been dozens of witnesses to the aftermath; I assume that law enforcement told them that they must not talk to the press, otherwise they would be all over the news.

Assuming no confrontation with another camper earlier that night, I think it was a hit. And I think the hit was either aimed at TB, his brother-in-law, or someone in an adjacent campsite. I don't think that TB's work had anything to do with it.

That is the one thing I dislike camping re the site identification . I feel there is no need for last names to be put on the site mini wood pole stating the person's last name. Inviting danger to many things, JMO.

 

[SuziQ]

If this was a hit, how did the shooter know where TB was sleeping? Especially at a distance. Makes more sense to me that the tent was the target, not the person inside.

 

[RobG]

Bravo- thanks for the welcome aboard.

Do we have a definitive make on the projectile? I remember earlier it was thought to be a shotgun slug? That will have distance limitations. That's approx a 70 caliber sized round typically used under 100 yards. However can be lethal over twice that dependent on the barrel length, projectile and shooter.

 

[Oregonmama]

If this was a hit, how did the shooter know where TB was sleeping? Especially at a distance. Makes more sense to me that the tent was the target, not the person inside.

Perhaps it was not at a distance. TB's autopsy was pulled off the county's website yesterday so perhaps it was a preliminary one and not all the info was on it. JMO

 

[gitana1]

If this was a hit, how did the shooter know where TB was sleeping? Especially at a distance. Makes more sense to me that the tent was the target, not the person inside.

Yeah. If the brother is right and the BIL heard shots fired from a distance away, it defies logic that this could be a hit, IMO. Just blindly shooting at a tent from far away? How would that be a targeted assassination?

So they crept up, determined what space he was in by possible names taped to the space post (something I've never seen, BTW, although others have seen that), then determined which tent he was in, then crept away and shot at the tent from a distance?

I'm not sure that seems right.

 

[gitana1]

Bravo- thanks for the welcome aboard.

Do we have a definitive make on the projectile? I remember earlier it was thought to be a shotgun slug? That will have distance limitations. That's approx a 70 caliber sized round typically used under 100 yards. However can be lethal over twice that dependent on the barrel length, projectile and shooter.

Can you give some examples? Also, how far is 100 or 200 yards? I'm not good at math. What does that look like? And what kind of shotgun and ammo would be required to hit something from a distance?

If they know the ammo, would the investigators be able to figure out distance? Coupled with bullet holes, could they figure out angle too pretty easily?

 

[Hatfield]

So a horizontal shooter means it was someone lying on the ground, possibly higher ground than then tent? I don't know. A horizontal shooter sounds to me more like a sniper situation and not so much shooting haphazardly.
Sounds odd to me.

JMO
There are many hills and valleys from looking at the maps of the place. I am pretty sure someone could get into a position to shoot at a slightly downward angle if the person doing the shooting was up a little higher on a nearby hill.

I dont think the shooter would be too far away because if 2 shots hit the tent. That tells me he was aiming at that area because if someone is just going to randomly fire then I dont think both shots would hit the tent. I have a bad feeling that the shooter was aiming at that tent area. And after the 1st shot the victim may have stood up or sat up and he got hit.

Gun Safety Rule #1 - Know your target and know what is beyond that target so you avoid hitting something not intended.

So either a person is wreckless with a weapon or he was doing it on purpose which is what I think.

 

[gitana1]

Perhaps it was not at a distance. TB's autopsy was pulled off the county's website yesterday so perhaps it was a preliminary one and not all the info was on it. JMO

I don't think the autopsy has anything to do with the possible distance. It's the brother's statements about bullet holes and what was heard at the time of the shooting. And what was not heard (anyone fleeing).

 

[Oregonmama]

I don't think the autopsy has anything to do with the possible distance. It's the brother's statements about bullet holes and what was heard at the time of the shooting. And what was not heard (anyone fleeing).

I wasn't referencing the the distance.

 

[Hatfield]

Yeah. If the brother is right and the BIL heard shots fired from a distance away, it defies logic that this could be a hit, IMO. Just blindly shooting at a tent from far away? How would that be a targeted assassination?

So they crept up, determined what space he was in by possible names taped to the space post (something I've never seen, BTW, although others have seen that), then determined which tent he was in, then crept away and shot at the tent from a distance?

I'm not sure that seems right.

We have to remember too that with all the valleys and hills around there a shot would echo through the hills.
The echo effect could make it seem like a shot was further away than it really was. Sounds play tricks in the hills.

 

[RobG]

And if we are talking probability and not possibility: then I would say if a shot gun was involved we are looking at under 50 yards.

I'm curious to know what firearms are issued (if any) to the guards at the correctional facility? What is security like for the detainees (incl the transfr detainees from CAMP AP per #672)?

 

[gitana1]

I wasn't referencing the the distance.

But you're indicating that perhaps t wasn't at a distance because the the autopsy may have been a preliminary one.

It just says he was shot in the head, right? What does that have to do with distance?

The distance info comes from the brother who is relying what BIL stated.

That was a crowded campground. If gunshots came from close to the tent, people nearby would be able to gauge that pretty easily I think, other than the BIL.

 

[gitana1]

And if we are talking probability and not possibility: then I would say if a shot gun was involved we are looking at under 50 yards.

I'm curious to know what firearms are issued (if any) to the guards at the correctional facility? What is security like for the detainees (incl the transfr detainees from CAMP AP per #672)?

So 50 yards is what, the length of about 25 men lying end to end? That still seems kind of far for them to be sure they'd get a specific person inside a tent? Unless he was backlit.

 

[bluesneakers]

Have there been any other cases of a hit being carried out on someone while camping in a state park? What about someone targeted being shot in a tent? It might sound plausible but if so - why has no one done it before?

 

[flute4peace]

Bravo- thanks for the welcome aboard.

Do we have a definitive make on the projectile? I remember earlier it was thought to be a shotgun slug? That will have distance limitations. That's approx a 70 caliber sized round typically used under 100 yards. However can be lethal over twice that dependent on the barrel length, projectile and shooter.

I believe the shotgun slug was speculation based on the reports of prior shootings in the area. One person was shot with pellets, another person's vehicle was shot with a slug.

 

[gitana1]

Have there been any other cases of a hit being carried out on someone while camping in a state park? What about someone targeted being shot in a tent? It might sound plausible but if so - why has no one done it before?

There's a first time for anything. Although the only hits I'm aware of occurred in a car, on the street, at a business or in the home.

There have been several murders at campsites though that seem to be random. I recall two women shot in their tents on the Appalachian Trail. And a couple recently on the west coast shot or stabbed by a crazy guy as they camped on the beach.

There have been murders made to look like accidents though. Accidental falls of cliffs are always handy. Accidental drownings and hunting "accidents".

 

[Tbone144]

Could be. The first incident was closest to the detention center at Tapia Park. Someone could have moved further up as it is escalating in nature. It would explain access to guns and maybe early shift changes? Maybe some sort of military background? I imagine it requires some experience to shot someone in the head from a distance.

I’ll put the satellite view with the markups back in. It’s back a few pages but this may help spatially with the area.

Tapia Park is the green marker that’s labeled. The Juvenile Center is circled in blue, the camp ground area is circled in green. There is a pull off on the road that is circled in red that I thought may be easy to park and get access to the park. The yellow is the Hindu temple which also appears to have a large parking lot. My husband swears he sees a treed valley along side the mountain that leads from the Juvenille Camp to the camp ground that provides easy cover.

There is also a post up thread with a map of shootings in the area of the cars. (I’m horrible with names, sorry).

 

[gitana1]

We have to remember too that with all the valleys and hills around there a shot would echo through the hills.
The echo effect could make it seem like a shot was further away than it really was. Sounds play tricks in the hills.

That makes sense. So it could've been close.

 

[Bravo]

It would be nice to know exactly what type of weapon was used. Is this some nutbar who has escalated in weapon choice and now murder? Perhaps he wasn't a specific target? Shooter just wanted "A" target, no matter who?

 

[bluesneakers]

There's a first time for anything. Although the only hits I'm aware of occurred in a car, on the street, at a business or in the home.

There have been several murders at campsites though that seem to be random. I recall two women shot in their tents on the Appalachian Trail. And a couple recently on the west coast shot or stabbed by a crazy guy as they camped on the beach.

There have been murders made to look like accidents though. Accidental falls of cliffs are always handy. Accidental drownings and hunting "accidents".

Right. It just doesn't make sense to me someone would take money for this job when there are so many risks involved, not when there are easier and more secure ways to do it and get away with it. I've been reading all I can find about campsite/tent deaths and they are rare. I think it's most likely to be an accident, a personal murder (grievances old or new), or a random killer like Smith on the AT.

Random attack on two women at a state park in Oregon, 1977:
Woman Writes About Almost Fatal Ax Attack