The Maine shooter has been found dead. Is it strange that I feel a lot of sympathy for his family?

[Anonymous]

His family is not only dealing with a loved ones death but dealing with him being a monster. That has to be painful. I appreciated how one of the officers said, "Mr. Card's family has also been notified of his death. I believe they deserved a phone call". It really is heartbreaking for all involved.

[NamerOfStars]

Sadly. Unless, of course, you don't also feel empathy for the victims and THEIR families, too.

I remember reading that the mother of one of the Columbine shooters had to deal with not only hearing that there had been a mass shooting at her son's school (terrifying beyond belief), but that her son was one of the shooters (awful, but at least he might still be alive...), and then that he'd taken his own life. About as bad as things can get, really. Same thing here.

[Asker]

Yes, it is the same. It is probably a different kind of pain for a parent to realize their son took the lives of other parents children.

[NikolaiIvanovB41]

If he was a black guy most people would be calling a criminal, gangster or a thug and move on. It probably wouldn't even make the headlines.

[Asker]

Or they would try to justify it. Works both ways.

[NikolaiIvanovB41]

No with this guy they are talking about him being mentally ill. He's suffering from an illness and going to his family history.

If it's a black guy it would have just been "oh, he's a thug" and then instantly forgotten about and moved on by now. But when it's not a black guys it's "oh the poor thing he is mentally ill. We need to do something about mental illness" and there is five or six reports on it.

[DubiousIntentions]

Sad to say, but I'm sure a lot of people are not grieving for his loss. They are probably saying, "Saves us the cost of trying and executing him."

[Asker]

I'm not grieving for him at all but I do have a lot of sympathy for his family. Who really knows though, they could be happy he's dead.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

Being family member of that dude most be extremely embarrassing to say the least.

[Asker]

Absolutely. If that was my brother/father, I would probably move as far away from my community as possible.

[ChicoFromThe305]

To be foreal im pretty much numb to all this shit, I don't care

[AngryCarl2]

Sympathy? I don't know. I'd be wondering what kind of a family they were? The apple usually doesn't fall far from the tree.

[Asker]

By all accounts they are a decent family. They were very cooperative with authorities and had a lot of remorse for the victims families. What I'm not clear about, is to what extent they knew about his mental illness.

[AngryCarl2]

I don't know much about life in America but I've heard that most mental illness goes untreated.

[Asker]

I think it's mostly true. There really isn't much you can do as far as forcing treatment. They have to be willing to be treated and to take their medication regularly. The problem is, most crazy people don't think their crazy.

[AngryCarl2]

Oh that's true. When I have my "psychotic phases" I feel fine. Luckily I have people who check up on me.