Violent, mentally-disturbed young man is violent; other reasons sought

by Feòrag

United States: I was going to open up the betting on how long it would take before the latest US school shooting was blamed on goths, but unfortunately, the blaming happened before I even got to a keyboard:

One student told Philadelphia Channel 6 Action News that the student was a goth and had been wearing a trenchcoat, boots and a chain.

The Associated Press notes, that the child responsible had a history of serious mental illness and violence, which is clearly far too relevant here, and also that he was a bit of a twat:

Coon's troubles seemed to come to a tipping point this week when he was suspended for fighting outside with a classmate. Students said Monday's fight was over God — Coon told his classmates he didn't believe in God and instead worshipped rocker Marilyn Manson...

He's crazy. He threatened to blow up our school. He threatened to stab everybody, said Doneisha LeVert, 14. We didn't think nothing of it.

So let's leave it to the New York Daily News to remind us of the really important stuff:

Coon, a Goth who decked himself out in black nail polish, a trench coat and Marilyn Manson T-shirts, and who claimed to worship the Devil, had been beaten up for saying f--- God, one student said.

I think they meant fuck there.

It must come as a relief after the last four such incidents were completely devoid of a goth connection. Now to start hunting conspiracy theories...

Ohio student goes on gun rampage—BBC News, 10th October 2007; Student Gunman in Ohio Warned of Attack—Associated Press, 11th October 2007; Suspended 14-year-old shoots 4, then kills himself at school—New York Daily News, 11th October 2007.

Tags: cleveland, goths, successtech