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Details :
Category: Spree Killing
Location: Geneva County, Alabama
Date: March 10, 2009
Crime: In a span of forty seven minutes, spanning two communities in Alabama, this twenty six year old gunman killed ten people and wounded six others. The dead included members of the killers family as well as the burning of his mothers home. Armed with an SKS rifle, Bushmaster AR-15 rifle and .38 caliber handgun, he shot and killed himself as police moved in.
Biography: This violent spree began with the calculated killing of several members of Michael McLendon's family. He first shot his mother and set fire to her house before driving to a nearby town where he killed 5 more members of his family and several neighbors. Then the spree became random as he drove down the street shooting at anyone he saw. Officials believe this event was precipitated by legal disagreements McLendon had with other family members after his parents divorced. Up until this point, McLendon had lived a very non-descript life. He was described as shy and quiet, but no one that knew him could say that they felt he was capable of this type of action. The week prior to the incident, McLendon abruptly quit his job as a team leader at a food manufacturing and distribution plant in a nearby town. Police ruled out anything job-related as a motive in the attack and to this day have no clear motive for the spree. Mclendon left a note admitting to the killing of his mother and that he ultimately planned to commit suicide.
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