Background
Kinkel was born in Springfield, Oregon to William Kinkel and Faith Zuranski. He has an older sister, Kristin. His parents were both Spanish teachers. Faith Kinkel taught Spanish at Springfield High School, and William Kinkel taught at Lane Community College. The Kinkel family spent a sabbatical year in Spain when Kip was six, where he attended a non-English-speaking school. His family said that he struggled with the curriculum. When Kinkel returned to Oregon, he attended Walterville Elementary School in Springfield. His teachers considered him immature and lacking physical and emotional development. Based on the recommendation of his teachers, Kinkel's parents had him repeat the first grade. In the fourth grade, he was diagnosed with dyslexia and was placed in extensive special education classes.
Kinkel had an interest in firearms and explosives from an early age. His father first denied this, but later enrolled him at gun safety courses, buying him a .22 caliber Long rifle and eventually a 9mm Glock handgun when Kip was 15. According to Kinkel, his psychologist, Jeffrey Hicks, told Bill Kinkel to "let Kip have the guns, for it will be a good outlet."
Read more about this topic: Kip Kinkel
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