Possible Motives
According to reports, Carneal had been bullied by other students and suffered from severe paranoia. His paranoia was manifested in habits such as covering up vents and windows while in bathrooms, because he believed he was being watched. Following the shooting, Carneal was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He has been hospitalized several times since the start of his incarceration due to psychosis, and takes medication for this condition.
Weeks before the incident, Carneal stole a .38-caliber handgun from his parents' room and attempted to sell it. A student took the gun, threatening to tell police if Carneal did not give it to him. Additionally, Carneal had told students that "something big is going to happen on Monday" but no one took him seriously.
Read more about this topic: Heath High School Shooting
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