Mother of El Paso suspect called police before shooting about son

[groundloop]

Source: CBS News

The mother of El Paso shooting suspect 21-year-old Patrick Crusius called police in Allen, Texas, weeks before the deadly shooting, because she was concerned about her son owning an AK 47-style assault rifle, CBS News has confirmed. The family's attorney, Chris Ayres, said the phone call was "purely informational," and that there was "absolutely no fear of violence nor any belief of an intent to do harm" that led Crusius' mother to call police.

The lawyer added that Crusius did not identify herself or her son to police when she made the call, and that the department did not file the call or follow up on it.

<snip>

A manifesto believed to have been written by the suspect and uploaded to the web forum 8chan expressed concerns about the growing Hispanic population of Texas. Officials have referenced the document and said the shooting may have a "nexus" to a hate crime.

El Paso police said Sunday that Crusius legally purchased the gun used in the rampage.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/patrick-crusius-mother-suspected-el-paso-shooters-mother-called-allen-texas-police-about-son-2019-08-08/

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It was a LEGALLY PURCHASED assault rifle. Laws need to change NOW.

[DeminPennswoods]

1. Mom was worried enough to call the cops,

but not worried enough about violence to identify herself or her son?

[babylonsister]

2. Yea, not at all helpful. nt

[Chemisse]

3. She may have gotten the brush off by the police.

If they treated her like a nuisance she may not have wanted to continue the conversation.

[FarPoint]

4. Lets not forget....

The laws regarding guns/weapons is so open and unrestricted....this is exactly what happens...it's the wild, wild west revisited.

[DeminPennswoods]

5. There must be more to this story

It wasn't that long ago that a church was shot up in Texas with many killed and wounded.

[lostnfound]

6. Don't blame the mom

Please. F’ing knee jerk reaction to every bad thing that young men do. Gets on the nerves of every exhausted, disobeyed, ignored mother out there

The country expects you to hover over your 12 year olds so much they can’t walk to the playground , and your responsible 18 year old often can’t rent a hotel room when tired and on the road, your 17 year old can’t buy cough medicine (or paint, in some places!), or go see a doctor or rent a car without you, but when they are 18, any of them can go buy a WMD that can shoot 30 people in a minute.

And they blame the mom.
Do you know how HARD it must have been for her to make that call? She may have a nagging doubt in her mind, nothing concrete, just a vague worry, but she WANTS to believe her son is okay. Why get him in trouble with the police for doing something that is legal? Lots of young men have a fascination with guns.

In general, boys don’t tell their moms what they are thinking.

[DeminPennswoods]

15. Not blaming her, it's just curious to me that she

would call, then, reportedly, give the cops nothing to act upon.

[lostnfound]

21. Probably mixed feelings and second guessing herself

“It’s legal, the police say it’s legal”
“He has a right to buy what he wants, he’s an adult”
“I don’t understand why he’d want such a thing, but there’s a lot I don’t understand”
And the ever-popular, “if he finds out I’m interfering, he will be angry and stop talking”

[lostnfound]

7. I'm sure they have caller ID. What were the police going to do about it? Nothing. What could she do?

Who has more experience with crime and guns — the police, or moms?

[groundloop]

8. I doubt if the police could have done anything.... the weapon was legally purchased

[lostnfound]

23. I agree. Therefore there was nothing the mother could do, either.

The skill set that involves feeding babies and teaching how to cross the street and help with homework and taking to doctor appointments does not necessarily evolve into how to diagnose and counteract well-nourished cult programming by white supremacist groups or even psychoanalyzing an angry young man.

At some point, in the face of the enigma of angry manhood, the moms say “who the hell knows? I’m exhausted and desperately need to rest.”

[sarisataka]

9. What were the police supposed to do?

What crime was involved at the time of the call?

"absolutely no fear of violence nor any belief of an intent to do harm" 

[Sapient Donkey]

16. While the mother might not have stated she feared violence or intent to do harm

There must have been something along those lines that compelled her to call. Otherwise, why call? I'm not a gun person, but if for some reason I purchase a firearm, I don't think my parents would call the police out of concern. I would have to do something that would make them alarmed that I would do cause harm to others or myself. So, his mom must have known something was seriously wrong with him.

Of course that may not have been enough to get the police to take action, but I am curious what it was that lead her to that call. Did she see the manifesto beforehand or did he express those thoughts to her?

[sarisataka]

17. I read in a different article

She was concerned about his maturity.

[LisaL]

19. Police are not going to be able to take any action if she doesn't tell them what her concerns are,

except reportedly his maturity.

[lostnfound]

22. That may have been her only concern. Maturity prone to anger or mood swings

He may not have ever shared enough for her to have concrete logical concerns, but a vague sense that there was something g to worry about.

[Talitha]

10. Her call to the Police was "purely informational"...

Maybe she was checking to see if it WAS indeed legal for him to own an assault weapon.

[IronLionZion]

11. Red flag laws need to be passed everywhere

to at least have people like this looked into. There are plenty of heavily armed and unstable people out there.

[FiveGoodMen]

13. Many here will be offended, but ...

I think the desire to own a gun is already a red flag.

[IronLionZion]

14. Angry, bigoted, violent behavior is a red flag

which would affect a lot of deplorables

[Aristus]

12. Yeah, but these were Texas police.

"He likes guns 'n' is thinkin' 'bout shootin' people? Sounds like our kinda guy, Ma'am! Have a nice day! Don't mess with Texas!"

[LisaL]

18. Only she never said anything about him thinking about shooting people.

So no idea where you got that from.

[TexasBushwhacker]

20. Another article

"The mother contacted police because she was worried about her son owning the weapon given his age, maturity level and lack of experience handling such a firearm, attorneys Chris Ayres and R. Jack Ayres said."

https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/07/us/el-paso-crusius-gun-warning/index.html

All the police said was that Patrick was a legal buyer. No shit Sherlock. Couldn't these small town cops go and talk to the young man and perhaps get more information? Obviously his mother was concerned.