Kip Kinkel

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Kipland Philip Kinkel (born August 30, 1982) killed his parents and soon afterward perpetrated a school shooting at a Springfield, Oregon secondary school, killing two people and wounding twenty-five. He is currently serving a 111 year prison sentence, ineligible for parole until 2110.

Shooting

On May 20, 1998, after Kinkel was expelled for bringing a gun to school, Kinkel shot and killed his father, Bill Kinkel, and later his mother, Faith Kinkel (née Zuranski). While at the house, Kip Kinkel had the soundtrack from the 1996 film Romeo + Juliet on repeat, which the police turned off upon arrival. His sister, Kirsten, was attending school at a university at the time.

When dawn on May 21, 1998 came, Kinkel drove to Thurston High School in his mother's Ford Explorer. He carried a Ruger semi-automatic rifle, a .22 caliber Ruger automatic pistol, his father's 9mm GLOCK pistol, and a hunting knife, which was strapped to his leg. In the school's hallway he shot student Ben Walker in the head. He also shot and injured another student, Ryan Atteberry. He then entered the cafeteria and opened fire, injuring many children. He shot Mikael Nickolauson, who had already received one bullet in his thigh and another in his chest, in the head at pointblank range.

Seventeen-year-old Jake Ryker, who had been shot in the abdomen, was experienced with guns and recognized the sound of an empty rifle. Realizing that Kinkel was temporarily out of bullets in the gun being used, he tackled Kinkel before the shooter could reload. Jake's 14-year-old brother, Josh Ryker, and fellow students Adam Walburger, Doug and David Ure; joined him in subduing and restraining Kinkel until authorities took control.

Nickolauson died at the scene, and Walker died after being transported to the hospital and kept on life support until both of his parents arrived. The other students, including Jake Ryker (who was in critical condition), were also taken to the hospital with a variety of wounds.

Kinkel was arrested. When brought to the police station, he lunged at Al Warthen, a police officer, with his knife, screaming "Shoot me, kill me!". The officer sprayed Kinkel with pepper spray, thwarting his attack. Kinkel later said that he wanted to trick the officer into shooting him. When interviewed by Warthen, Kinkel repeated at least seven times that he had "no other choice" but to kill his parents, and at one point exclaimed "God damn it...these voices inside my head." (Interview transcript.)

At his trial the defense presented a number of experts in an effort to prove that Kinkel was mentally ill. The only psychiatrist who had seen Kip before the shootings maintained that he was in satisfactory mental health. In any event, on September 24, 1999, three days before jury selection was set to begin, Kip pleaded guilty to murder and attempted murder, foregoing the possibility of being acquitted by reason of insanity. In November, 1999 Kinkel was sentenced to more than 111 years in prison, without the possibility of parole. Kinkel serves his sentence at MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, a correctional facility for boys, which is located in Woodburn, Oregon.

It should be noted that as with many other school shootings, it is reported that Kip Kinkel was on a psychotropic medication, specifically Ritalin. Jake Ryker has been cited by the National Rifle Association and conservative media groups as an example of NRA training put to good use.

In January 2004 a request for a new trial was filed based on claims that Kip's lawyers failed to properly pursue an insanity defense. A judge is expected to rule on that appeal within the year.

Trivia

Kip Kinkel is referenced in the Bizzy Bone song "Social Studies" where Bizzy admonishes him to "put these headphones on and let me murder you like you murdered your mom".

External link

• The Killer at Thurston High (PBS Frontline documentary about Kinkel)