Washington navy yard killer 'planned Thailand move'

[webfact]

Washington Navy Yard Killer 'Planned Thailand Move'
Suspected shooter Aaron Alexis worked and lived with Thai-Americans and developed interest in Southeast Asian nation

By Charlie Campbell

WASHINGTON: -- The man accused of slaying 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard in the U.S. capital on Monday had plans to move to Thailand.

He also had a strong interest in Buddhism and even taught himself the Thai language, according to media reports.

Aaron Alexis, 34, lived and worked at the Happy Bowl Thai restaurant in Fort Worth, Tx., for three years prior to Monday’s killing spree.

Full story: http://world.time.com/2013/09/16/washington-navy-yard-killer-planned-thailand-move/

-- TIME 2013-09-17

[lomatopo]

Suspect in Shooting Had Interest in Thai Culture, and Problems With the Law

HOUSTON — Aaron Alexis, 34, the man killed by police officers and identified as the gunman in the deadly rampage at the Washington Navy Yard on Monday, served his country as a Navy reservist, had an abiding interest in Buddhism and Thai culture, and had problems with the law, records and interviews show.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/us/suspect-in-shooting-had-interest-in-thai-culture-and-problems-with-the-law.html?_r=0

[JDGRUEN]

The Perp had a Thai friend who owned Thai food restaurant in a suburb north of Fort Worth Texas, and a couple of other Thai friends... He had visited Thailand a few months ago. By all accounts he was a dabbler in Buddhism and the Thai Language. He had a strung out record of problems, accidental shooting in an apartment, shooting out tires in Washington State and several other dust ups. The perp was a failure - spiraling down hill after a forced general discharge from the U.S. Air Force.... Just another 'Falling Down guy who had daydreams .... Fired from his D.C. Navy Yard job when his record caught up with him - he lashed out -- sadly so .... The guy is hardly worth talking about ... just a failed wannabe ....

[soi41]

In other words, the typical expat!!

[brewsterbudgen]

You mean they haven't found a Pattaya connection yet?

[midas]

The Perp had a Thai friend who owned Thai food restaurant in a suburb north of Fort Worth Texas, and a couple of other Thai friends... He had visited Thailand a few months ago. By all accounts he was a dabbler in Buddhism and the Thai Language. He had a strung out record of problems, accidental shooting in an apartment, shooting out tires in Washington State and several other dust ups. The perp was a failure - spiraling down hill after a forced general discharge from the U.S. Air Force.... Just another 'Falling Down guy who had daydreams .... Fired from his D.C. Navy Yard job when his record caught up with him - he lashed out -- sadly so .... The guy is hardly worth talking about ... just a failed wannabe ....

Oh, but he is worth talking about in terms of showing up once again the enormous and embarrassing failings in the databases of the law authorities to be able to pick up “ red flags “. IMHO this is what USA should be concentrating on (as opposed to spying on ordinary mums and dads ).

I am no expert in this area but every time there is a mass shooting in America you seem to get a slew of information regarding previous incidents and crimes that should even have alerted the likes of inspector Clouseau.

Had they " tagged " this guy based on previous events in his life ( for example shooting 3 tires in a car which where even the police turned up and he would have been charged ) ...........may be 12 lives could have been saved?

[alfieconn]

In other words, the typical expat!!

Please elaborate !

[Jingthing]

He had shot out some tires of a car in Seattle.

He STILL had a legal carry concealed gun permit.

'Nuff said.

The USA gun culture pays the price again ...

As far as Americans interested in/living in Thailand -- they are ALREADY stigmatized in the USA. This isn't going to help with that.

[uptheos]

In other words, the typical expat!!

Please elaborate !

Well, as he has given it the thumbs up too, I can only presume he's referring to himself.

But it's still an interesting question.

[Jingthing]

So where did he stay in Pattaya?

[hard124get]

He had shot out some tires of a car in Seattle.

He STILL had a legal carry concealed gun permit.

'Nuff said.

The USA gun culture pays the price again ...

As far as Americans interested in/living in Thailand -- they are ALREADY stigmatized in the USA. This isn't going to help with that.

Now It is not the time to talk about gun control. We can discuss it when there has been no mass shootings for a year !

[Scott]

Off-topic posts and replies have been deleted.

If you wish to discuss Obama and gun control, there is this recently resurrected thread:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/633601-gun-vote-shameful-day-obama-says/

[Publicus]

That's all right. He was planning on moving to Thailand which has a far higher gun murder rate than the US does, per capita. He would have fit right in.

Why am I always the only one who keeps pointing out that Thailand has a far higher gun murder rate than the US does, but all the whingers have chosen to live in Thailand? Between the high highway death rate and the gun murder rate, Thailand is extremely dangerous but here are the whingers, terrified of a place they've probably never lived, and which is statistically quite safe.

The US has the world's third largest population. It's going to have more of most things, including murders.

"Will a Harvard man listen to Harvard research?"

"Probably not, if the Harvard man is Barack Obama, and the research finds flies in the face of liberal pieties – and misconceptions and lies – about gun ownership, gun violence and gun control in the United States..."

"...They’re wrong.

A study released in the spring in the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy – to virtually no media attention – focused on the prevalence of gun ownership in the United States versus those strict gun-control countries in Europe the left is so fond of talking about.

It was called, with disarming bluntness, “Would banning firearms reduce murder and suicide?”

Its answer was: “No.”

Looking at historical patterns in the United States from the colonial and post-colonial days, and in Europe going back to the time before guns were even invented, two researchers came to a clear conclusion:

“Nations with higher gun ownership rates … do not have higher murder or suicide rates than those with lower gun ownership.”

That’s just a fact, even in those European countries the U.S. left is so fond of citing." Harvard Study Proves...

The US differs from European countries and countries in Asia such as Thailand in that it has all kinds of people from everywhere in the world. As much as the US government controls immigration, all kinds of people immigrate to the US from every conceivable place in the world. Sometimes it takes a generation or two for maladjusted people from backward countries of other cultures and civilizations to go off the deep end.

Despite the Harvard study, the US has a gun problem, which also is a mental health problem.

Yes, I agree Thailand is a dangerous place - people tend to disappear here however, rather than be shot in a high profile public event.

In fact a lot of shootings in Thailand go unreported by mass media. While I was in the deep South of Thailand, for instance, there was a shootout at a high school in a backwater area in which a student was shot through the heart, but it never made the Bangkok or even the local news reports. I heard about it only because I lived in the community and taught one class at the high school.

There are a lot more guns and gun violence in Thailand than people know, think or believe.

Thailand also has gone from a place no one in the world outside the region ever thought about to a place known for its state violence and the violence of high profile elements of its population. The only time Thailand makes the news globally is when the army shoots Thai civilians or some group burns down a part of the central business district.

Consequently Thai Buddhism is taking a beating lately too.

[chrisinth]

You mean they haven't found a Pattaya connection yet?

Likely coming sooooooooooon.......................

[chrisinth]

The Perp had a Thai friend who owned Thai food restaurant in a suburb north of Fort Worth Texas, and a couple of other Thai friends... He had visited Thailand a few months ago. By all accounts he was a dabbler in Buddhism and the Thai Language. He had a strung out record of problems, accidental shooting in an apartment, shooting out tires in Washington State and several other dust ups. The perp was a failure - spiraling down hill after a forced general discharge from the U.S. Air Force.... Just another 'Falling Down guy who had daydreams .... Fired from his D.C. Navy Yard job when his record caught up with him - he lashed out -- sadly so .... The guy is hardly worth talking about ... just a failed wannabe ....

Oh, but he is worth talking about in terms of showing up once again the enormous and embarrassing failings in the databases of the law authorities to be able to pick up “ red flags “. IMHO this is what USA should be concentrating on (as opposed to spying on ordinary mums and dads ).

I am no expert in this area but every time there is a mass shooting in America you seem to get a slew of information regarding previous incidents and crimes that should even have alerted the likes of inspector Clouseau. alt=rolleyes.gif width=20 height=20>

Had they " tagged " this guy based on previous events in his life ( for example shooting 3 tires in a car which where even the police turned up and he would have been charged alt=blink.png width=20 height=20> ) ...........may be 12 lives could have been saved?

Don't be too hard on them midas, they are concentrating on terrorists, real or perceived..................

[Jingthing]

He was interested in moving to Thailand.

Someone has to ask.

Did he have a Thaivisa account?

[Fookhaht]

He was interested in moving to Thailand.

Someone has to ask.

Did he have a Thaivisa account?

Again, looking for a "shudder" emoticon.....

[Jingthing]

He was interested in moving to Thailand.

Someone has to ask.

Did he have a Thaivisa account?

Again, looking for a "shudder" emoticon.....

I actually think if he did the U.S. police and press would be interested to know about it.

Historical note -- that area near the Navy Yard used to be mostly an urban wasteland and was the location of the earlier large gay discos/nightspots.

Then it got gentrified when they built the baseball park ...

[Jingthing]

He worked as a waiter at this Thai restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/happy-bowl-thai-restaurant-fort-worth

This bit is very surprising. According to this, he was almost FLUENT in Thai, yet had only been on one visit for one month? Amazing. Smart guy I reckon:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/09/16/aaron_alexis_navy_yard_what_we_know_about_the_alleged_gunman_behind_the.html

Alexis Was a Frequent Visitor at a Buddhist Temple in Texas (source: Alexis' friends and fellow temple-goers, via Washington Post):

Alexis spoke Thai, the language of many other temple worshippers, and also worked as a waiter at a Thai restaurant. One acquaintance said Alexis had recently traveled to Thailand for a month. “He understood about 75 percent of the language,” Sirun said. “I didn’t think he could be this violent,” Sirun said. “I would not have been surprised to hear he had committed suicide. But I didn’t think he could commit murder.”

[Chicog]

I think the USN need to take a long hard look at their security/screening procedures.

[SiggiCM]

yes guns solve many problems in America, classes to big in school, give some kids a weapon, to many unemployed people in Detroit? easy to solve .....

they should change the law in America, from it is allowed to carry a gun, everybody has to carry a gun, and you wll see after 1 month all guns will disapear ....

[Emdog]

Sorry he didn't make it over here. He could look around at the rest of us Americans here and think "maybe I'm not so messed up after all". But there is the problem with his learning the language. That is usually not the American way: just talk louder, they will understand.

[philliphn]

I am writing this as I sit in my home in the USA. I live near a city whose name is Detroit. Detroit is a Black city. For twenty years Detroit was the Murder Capital in the USA. In the last few years it's rating as the Murder Capital, has not really changed. It is now rated as number 3 in the USA in terms of homicides. The reason for the change, is not any improvement. It is simply, because of a continuing decline of population within the city. If Pattaya, becomes an even more unsafe place, because of crime. The Thais may find that a slow exodus may likely occur decreasing Pattaya's economic abilities.

[koratjohn]

The Perp had a Thai friend who owned Thai food restaurant in a suburb north of Fort Worth Texas, and a couple of other Thai friends... He had visited Thailand a few months ago. By all accounts he was a dabbler in Buddhism and the Thai Language. He had a strung out record of problems, accidental shooting in an apartment, shooting out tires in Washington State and several other dust ups. The perp was a failure - spiraling down hill after a forced general discharge from the U.S. Air Force.... Just another 'Falling Down guy who had daydreams .... Fired from his D.C. Navy Yard job when his record caught up with him - he lashed out -- sadly so .... The guy is hardly worth talking about ... just a failed wannabe ....

Let's get the story a little more correct. Someone can't get a "forced general discharge from the U.S. Air Force" unless they were actually in the USAF. Reports have his listed as Navy, Navy Reservist and PO3 and got discharged from the Navy system and from the looks had developed a grudge of some sorts.

In general, your comments are spot on in terms of his dabbling and Thailand and Buddhism in general don't deserve to be associated to this nut-job. If anything Buddhism would have taught him how to be a peaceful, calm and nicer person in my opinion.

We USAF vets (current and retired) have our fair share of nutters just not his one.

[Loptr]

In other words, the typical expat!!

Perhaps closer to the truth than you imagine.

OFFICIALS: GUNMAN TREATED FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_NAVY_YARD_SHOOTING_GUNMAN_MENTAL_HEALTH?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-09-17-08-03-32

[metisdead]

Trolling posts have been removed. Another post was removed as the poster just had to end the post with an off topic nonsense comment.

A nonsense comment on moderation has been removed as well.

[JDGRUEN]

The Perp had a Thai friend who owned Thai food restaurant in a suburb north of Fort Worth Texas, and a couple of other Thai friends... He had visited Thailand a few months ago. By all accounts he was a dabbler in Buddhism and the Thai Language. He had a strung out record of problems, accidental shooting in an apartment, shooting out tires in Washington State and several other dust ups. The perp was a failure - spiraling down hill after a forced general discharge from the U.S. Air Force.... Just another 'Falling Down guy who had daydreams .... Fired from his D.C. Navy Yard job when his record caught up with him - he lashed out -- sadly so .... The guy is hardly worth talking about ... just a failed wannabe ....

Let's get the story a little more correct. Someone can't get a "forced general discharge from the U.S. Air Force" unless they were actually in the USAF. Reports have his listed as Navy, Navy Reservist and PO3 and got discharged from the Navy system and from the looks had developed a grudge of some sorts.

In general, your comments are spot on in terms of his dabbling and Thailand and Buddhism in general don't deserve to be associated to this nut-job. If anything Buddhism would have taught him how to be a peaceful, calm and nicer person in my opinion.

We USAF vets (current and retired) have our fair share of nutters just not his one.

I read a report incorrectly - got his service arm mixed up as his duty station in Fort Worth was the old Carswell AFB now a combined arms station - NAS, AF, Reserve units of various kinds.... ... sorry about that The emphases was on him being pushed out of the service for being an undesirable ...

[copa8]

He worked as a waiter at this Thai restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas:

1puhGd.St.117.jpeg

http://www.yelp.com/biz/happy-bowl-thai-restaurant-fort-worth

This bit is very surprising. According to this, he was almost FLUENT in Thai, yet had only been on one visit for one month? Amazing. Smart guy I reckon:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/09/16/aaron_alexis_navy_yard_what_we_know_about_the_alleged_gunman_behind_the.html

Alexis Was a Frequent Visitor at a Buddhist Temple in Texas (source: Alexis' friends and fellow temple-goers, via Washington Post):

Alexis spoke Thai, the language of many other temple worshippers, and also worked as a waiter at a Thai restaurant. One acquaintance said Alexis had recently traveled to Thailand for a month. “He understood about 75 percent of the language,” Sirun said. “I didn’t think he could be this violent,” Sirun said. “I would not have been surprised to hear he had committed suicide. But I didn’t think he could commit murder.”

I think he had a copy of Rosetta Stone Thai at home.

[puukao]

Thailand: Cheap, Hub of SE Asia, and good weather (I hope this guy is now in a place much hotter). Plus, Thailand has lots of people and shady characters to "get lost". I understand his reasoning. Plus VOA. You don't want to stick out if you are "on the run" and odds of a normal western job is impossible. I'm not sure I would want to hide out in the mountains of a tropical climate, but that's just me.

You could see the same type in a number of other asian countries, plus s. america. Likely harder to blend in if in other relatively poor countries.

300+ million Americans....of course we are going to have a few evil souls.

[metisdead]

Trolling posts have been removed.