Denver Post: Arapahoe High School Shooter Held 'Strong Political Beliefs'

Debra Heine

Information that could shed some light on the mental state of the teenage gunman who entered Arapahoe High School in Denver, Colorado and shot two fellow students with a shotgun, trickled out, Friday night. 

The Denver Post reports that Karl Pierson, the 18-year-old student, was “outspoken about politics, a gifted debater and may have been bullied for his beliefs, according to students who knew him.”

In paragraph three we discover “he had very strong beliefs about gun laws and stuff,” a junior who shared a class with Pierson in her freshman year, said. “I also heard he was bullied a lot.”

In paragraph five, we find out that “the shooter was a dedicated, bright student from a religious family who attends Bible study meetings.”

A neighbor described them as “a normal middle-class family, like many of the families around here.” 

He was also a track athlete, and a member of the school’s speech and debate team. Last April, he placed third in national extemporaneous speaking at a tournament.

Deep into the article – near the end in fact –  we find out a little more about his politics.
In one Facebook post, Pierson attacks the philosophies of economist Adam Smith who through his invisible hand theory pushed the notion that the free market was self-regulating. In another post, he describes himself as “Keynesian.”
In another Facebook post, he mocked Republicans, writing, “you republicans are so cute” and posted an image that recalls far left Congressman Alan Grayson’s infamous take on heartless GOPers: “The Republican Party: Health Care: Let ’em Die, Climate Change: Let ’em Die, Gun Violence: Let ’em Die, Women’s Rights: Let ’em Die, More War: Let ’em Die. Is this really the side you want to be on?”

Classmates who knew Pierson told the Denver Post that his political views were “outside the mainstream,” but he had a lot of friends and was popular with the people who knew him.

Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson said his department was investigating reports that Pierson “was seeking to settle a score with a teacher following a confrontation.”

Hat tip @toddstarnes who asks:

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