Red Lake Massacre - Possible Motives

Possible Motives

After the massacre, police investigators began searching for reasons why Weise carried out his violent actions. According to reports, Weise was often bullied in school by classmates for his appearance, however, he usually did not respond to their taunts. He was considered an outcast by many of his fellow students, and remained withdrawn and alone. Weise was known to wear a black trench coat and other black clothing to school all-year round, and was labeled as a "Goth kid" by many of his classmates.

Weise allegedly had a history of troublesome behavior at school, including getting into fist-fights with students. On one occasion, he reportedly engaged in a fist-fight with another student whom he referred to as a "Communist". In April 2004, the faculty of Red Lake Senior High School suspected Weise of threatening to "shoot up" the school on April 20, the day the Columbine High School massacre occurred. Although Weise claimed that he was unfairly accused, he was expelled from public schooling, and was placed in a home-schooling program.

Weise grew up in a family which suffered troubles and parental separations. His parents were an unmarried couple who had separated before he was born. He wrote that his mother was an alcoholic who was sometimes abusive His mother Joane Weise started dating Timothy Troy DesJarlait in 1992 and married with him in 1998. Jeffrey attended elementary school in Shakopee, MN. In 1997, Jeffrey's father Daryl Lussier, Jr. committed suicide via shotgun wound to the head, after a two-day standoff with the Red Lake Police Department in Red Lake. In 1999, Joanne Weise suffered severe brain damage in a car accident and was committed to a nursing home. Consequently, Jeff was placed in the care of his paternal grandmother Shelda Lussier in Red Lake. His mother divorced in February 2000. Jeffrey expressed frustration with living in Red Lake, and believed that his life was beyond his control. He attempted suicide in May 2004. He started taking Prozac in 2004. His medication dosage had been increased a week before the shooting, for 60 mg a day of Prozac.

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