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Elliot Oliver Robertson Rodger (July 24, 1991 – May 23, 2014) was an English-American mass murderer who was responsible for the 2014 Isla Vista killings. On May 23, 2014, Rodger killed six people and injured fourteen others using knives, semi-automatic pistols and his car near the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) in Isla Vista, California. Rodger first killed his two roommates and their friend in the apartment they shared, ambushing and stabbing them one at a time as they arrived. Hours later, he drove to a sorority house, where he intended to murder its occupants but was unable to enter the premises. Rodger shot at three women outside the sorority house, killing two. He later drove by a nearby delicatessen, shooting and killing a man inside.
Elliot Rodger | |
|---|---|
 Undated driver's license photo of Rodger | |
| Born | Elliot Oliver Robertson Rodger July 24, 1991 London, England |
| Died | May 23, 2014 (aged 22) Isla Vista, California, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Suicide by gunshot |
| Resting place | Cremated, location of ashes unknown |
| Nationality |
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| Occupation | Former student at Santa Barbara City College |
| Known for | Perpetrator of the 2014 Isla Vista killings |
| Relatives | Peter Rodger (father) Soumaya Akaaboune (stepmother) George Rodger (grandfather) |
| Motive | Misogynist terrorism, perceived revenge for sexual and social rejection, incel ideology |
| Details | |
| Victims | 20 |
| Date | May 23, 2014 ≈ 9:27 – 9:35 pm |
| Target(s) | Students of Santa Barbara City College and the University of California, Santa Barbara, roommates |
| Killed | 6 (3 by stabbing, 3 by gunfire) |
| Injured | 14 (7 by gunfire, 7 struck by motor vehicle) |
| Weapons |
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Afterward, Rodger drove around Isla Vista, indiscriminately shooting and ramming into pedestrians with his vehicle. He exchanged gunfire with sheriff's deputies twice; in the latter occurrence, Rodger was shot in his hip. Shortly after, he crashed his vehicle into a parked car. As police examined the vehicle, they found Rodger dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. Before starting his planned attack on the sorority house, Rodger uploaded to YouTube a video announcing his intention to "punish" women—as well as the men to whom they were attracted—for their lack of interest in him. During his attack, Rodger also e-mailed a 137-page manifesto—in which he described his major life events, personal struggles, and frustrations at having remained a lifelong virgin—to several of his family members, acquaintances, and therapists. In the years after his death, Rodger has become an icon in incel and manosphere communities. He has inspired at least one other act of misogynist terrorism, the 2018 Toronto van attack.
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Elliot Oliver Robertson Rodger was born in London, United Kingdom, on July 24, 1991, to parents Peter Rodger and Ong Li Chin Tye.[a] Peter, a British national, is a filmmaker who has directed television commercials and served as a second unit director on The Hunger Games (2012).[b] His mother is of Malaysian Chinese descent and has also worked in the film industry; after training in health care, she worked as an on-set nurse during production of The Princess Bride (1987) and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).[11][12][13] His paternal grandfather George Rodger was a photojournalist who was well-known for his images of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.[c]
Following Rodger's birth, his family moved to Sussex, England, where he enjoyed an affluent and privileged childhood. Li Chin left her nursing career to look after Rodger and soon bore a daughter, with whom Rodger's maternal grandmother, who later moved into the family home, developed a strong connection.[d] He initially attended Dorset House School, a private, all-boys school in West Sussex.[e] When Rodger was five, his family moved to Woodland Hills, an upscale neighborhood of Los Angeles.[f] Rodger then attended Pinecrest Schools before switching to Topanga Elementary School.[28][29][30]
Rodger's parents divorced when he was seven years old.[g] His custody was split between his parents; Rodger and his younger sister lived with their mother during weekdays and with their father during weekends. A year after the divorce, Rodger's father married Soumaya Akaaboune, a Moroccan-born French actress.[h] Around this time, Rodger began showing difficulty socializing with others. As an elementary student, he was quiet and withdrawn; he struggled with speech, would whisper answers if addressed, preferred to write information rather than talk, and avoided peer interaction during recess. He often engaged in repetitive behaviors, such as making noises and foot-tapping, and was easily overwhelmed by over-stimulation. Social gatherings like birthday parties made him anxious; on one occasion at Disneyland, he was overwhelmed to tears by the crowds.[11][39][40] Rodger viewed his sister as a rival, throwing tantrums over issues in which his parents took her side over him.[41][42][43]
In 1999, Rodger's mother filed an affidavit asking for more child support from his father, labeling her son as a "high-functioning autistic child" with special needs.[44][45][46] Rodger's father presented a diagnosis by Dr. Stephen M. Scappa, who stated the autism diagnosis was incorrect because the examiner might have missed conditions like depression and anxiety. Scappa recommended additional evaluation of Rodger by a child psychiatrist to obtain a correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment.[47][48][49] Rodger had a difficult relationship with his stepmother Akaaboune, whose parental authority he rejected in favor of his biological mother.[50][51][52]
As he grew, Rodger became self-conscious about his short height and slender frame; he briefly played basketball in the belief it would make him grow taller.[28][53][54][41] He also became embarrassed about his mixed-race heritage,[55][56][57] which he felt set him apart from his entirely white peers.[58][59][60] At age nine, in an effort to blend in, Rodger dyed his hair blond and began skateboarding, hoping these changes would help him befriend other children.[50][61] Despite his extreme social awkwardness, Rodger started to socialize with his more-popular peers and attempted to approach girls.[42] He later began experiencing feelings of resentment, convinced that his life was unfair compared to his peers.[6][62] His increased difficulty in establishing friendships, particularly with women, led to a sense of isolation and frustration.[50][61]
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Rodger's mother dated filmmaker George Lucas for a short period during the late 1990s, leading to her and Rodger being invited to the red-carpet premiere of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999).[11][47][61][63] Rodger's enjoyment of movies began to wane due to his discomfort with the presence of couples at movie theaters.[61][64][65] During this period, his stepmother became pregnant and gave birth to a son, Rodger's younger half-brother.[66][67][68] Rodger's social activity decreased during middle school and he immersed himself in popular video games such as Halo and World of Warcraft at his parent's houses and cybercafés,[50][69][70][71] primarily socializing with others via online chatrooms.[61][72][73] When he was aged 11, a fellow AOL chatroom user shared sexually explicit images with Rodger, leading to overwhelming feelings of shock and emotion.[31][74] Upon reaching puberty, Rodger developed a high sex drive but began to believe he would never have sexual relationships with women.[75][76][77] He became known as a "quiet" and "weird kid" who intentionally annoyed classmates, leading to bullying by other students.[42][78][79] One of his bullies was a blonde girl, which Rodger claimed contributed to the development of his misogynistic attitudes.[80][81][82]
After finishing middle school, Rodger enrolled in Crespi Carmelite High School (Crespi), an all-boys Catholic school in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles.[83][84][85] Rodger was initially eager to distance himself from female peers but observing the older, taller students at Crespi caused Rodger to have an anxiety attack during his first day of attendance.[47][86][87] Rodger reported being severely bullied by seniors at Crespi, which included having his head taped to his desk when he fell asleep, being pushed into lockers, and suffering homophobic abuse due to his refusal to associate with girls.[30][61][88][89] Rodger was overwhelmed by the bullying and he withdrew socially, neglected his homework and spent hours playing video games.[28][30][47][90] On the last day of Rodger's freshman year, a classmate spoke about having sex with his girlfriend. Rodger did not believe him, causing the classmate to play a voice recording of himself and his girlfriend having sex. Following Rodger's subsequent outburst, his mother picked him up in the school's main office; it was the last time he would leave Crespi.[89][75]
Rodger's parents enrolled him in William Howard Taft Charter High School (Taft), the transition to which intensified Rodger's fears due to its large student body.[12][28] Rodger again experienced severe bullying, often by male students and in the presence of female students.[30][47] One afternoon, while leaving the premises, Rodger suffered an anxiety attack, causing school staff to contact his mother, and he was withdrawn from Taft after only a week of attendance.[47][79] His parents then enrolled him at Independence Continuation High School, a school of roughly 100 students that offered three-to-four hours of daily instruction, believing it to be a safer environment for Rodger.[28][47]
In 2007, Rodger was diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), a condition on the autism spectrum (AS) that leads to problems in social development.[11][91] While Rodger did not meet the criteria to be diagnosed with autism, his PDD-NOS diagnosis helped him receive special education resources.[11] At age 15, Rodger was prescribed Xanax and Prozac, but he stopped taking both medications after a year. He later began taking Paxil, but reported that it left him feeling excessively drowsy and fatigued. Rodger claimed he had to "rely entirely" on his "mind and positive thinking" to manage his social anxiety.[39][92]
At the age of 17, Rodger reacted to the suggestion of visiting his stepmother's home country Morocco with a temper tantrum. He went with his stepmother and half-brother but remained discontent and continuously emailed his mother until she allowed him to return to her home.[93] His father's filmmaking career severely declined during the 2000s, culminating in the documentary film Oh My God (2009), which bombed at the box office.[i] The film's failure drove Rodger's father into debt and forced him to pause his child support payments.[48][98]
Rodger's stepmother became concerned with his unwillingness to socialize and made him stop playing his video games, causing tensions between the two to escalate.[j] These tensions escalated and Rodger was ejected from his father's house.[11] Rodger soon harbored a fixation on becoming rich, believing it to be the key to gaining attention from women.[21][102] He urged his mother to marry a wealthy man[11][61][103] but she refused to remarry, and Rodger took up screenwriting and inventing, which he believed would be shortcuts to success, but he quickly gave up when he felt challenged.[48][104][103] Disliking high school and determined to graduate early, Rodger attended classes more regularly and earned top grades, graduating from Independence Continuation High School in 2010.[105][106]
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By age 18, Rodger had ceased his mental health treatment and refused to take his prescribed medication.[6][107][108] He held his parents responsible for his lack of wealth, blaming his mother for not marrying a wealthier man for his benefit and his father for using his money to produce Oh My God.[48] Rodger enrolled at Los Angeles Pierce College but soon left after seeing too many happy couples, causing him feelings of anger.[47][61][75]
Despite his mother's encouragement to seek employment, Rodger spent his time frequently wandering around her house or reading at a bookstore, hoping to find friends. Later, he would sit alone in cafés, hoping for any woman to approach him.[93] Rodger's parents worried about his direction in life and offered him help to find work, but Rodger deemed many jobs suggested to him to be "beneath him".[61][103] Rodger's father referred him to one of his friends, and Rodger worked in construction for a time.[109][92] When his half-brother began to show signs of sociability despite his own social disadvantages at that age, Rodger grew envious but enjoyed his company nonetheless.[93]
Rodger soon enrolled at Moorpark College, attracted by its smaller size and appealing aesthetics. He was hopeful at the prospect of meeting blonde women and showing a potential girlfriend around his new campus. Rodger quickly experienced feelings of loneliness and unhappiness at Moorpark, and developing feelings of envy towards a couple in one of his classes. His discomfort was exacerbated by his social anxiety, particularly when he was called upon by a professor. Rodger dropped out of Moorpark after completing a year.[103][110][111]
Rodger took comfort in the knowledge his best friend, whom he had known since childhood, was also a virgin, but could not understand why his friend was not angry with women, as he was. Seeing his friend as weak, Rodger eventually revealed his thoughts of taking over the world and killing people.[112][113][114] Their friendship grew strained and Rodger's friend began to distance himself. Rodger shared his disturbing fantasies with other friends, which led those friends to also distance themselves.[11][115][116]
Santa Barbara
In an attempt to reduce his isolation, Rodger's parents decided to send him to college in Santa Barbara.[6][79][117] They agreed to pay for his apartment and college classes, and were optimistic participating in a college community would encourage Rodger to make friends.[48][61][118] Rodger agreed to the plan after watching the crime drama film Alpha Dog (2006).[30][119] Thinking about the film, Rodger believed moving to Santa Barbara would give him the chance to attend parties and lose his virginity.[79][120]
On June 4, 2011, Rodger moved into an apartment in Isla Vista near the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) campus.[k] After enrolling at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC), he was angered when one of his roommate's black friends said he had lost his virginity at the age of 13.[124][125][126] Rodger retreated to his room and called his mother, expressing his frustration over the attention black men received from blonde women instead of him.[21][115][127]
Rodger found difficulty forming relationships with several roommates and chose to spend much of his time alone.[128][129] When he shared a room with two Hispanic roommates, he would call them racial slurs and insist he was better looking. When his next roommate took his girlfriend to their apartment, Rodger told him he was "foolish" for being happy in a relationship with "an ugly whore". The roommate asked to be assigned a new apartment, stating Rodger had "huge psychological issues" and was a "ticking time bomb waiting to explode", mentioning that he feared for his safety.[l]
Rodger soon began developing a deep hatred towards the people of Isla Vista, seeing himself as a sophisticated person deserving of relationships with attractive blonde women; he believed women were wrong for rejecting him, and blamed men who were more successful than him for their rejection.[133][134][135] Rodger started to have thoughts of killing couples, envisioning himself stabbing them to death while they were engaged in sexual activity.[115][136]
In July 2011, during a visit to a Starbucks coffee outlet, Rodger noticed a couple kissing; he followed them outside and threw his coffee at them. The man yelled at Rodger, who fled the scene.[104][137][138] That same month, Rodger saw another couple kissing at a food court; he followed them in his car and splashed them with iced tea.[79][104][139] At SBCC, Rodger dropped a sociology course after seeing a blonde woman with her boyfriend in class.[139] In January 2012, while driving past a bus stop, Rodger attempted to engage two blonde women by smiling; when they did not return the smile, he turned his car around and splashed them with his latté.[62][140][141]
Rodger soon developed an obsession with designer clothing, purchasing items in an attempt to elevate his status.[40][61][142] He would roam around Isla Vista every day, often sitting outside a Domino's Pizza outlet hoping a woman would find him attractive and initiate a conversation with him.[115] In an attempt to find social connection, Rodger made a friend who introduced him to other acquaintances in hopes of integrating him into their circle.[143][144]
By February 2012, Rodger withdrew from all of his classes at SBCC due to his frustration with his social interactions, particularly with women. He began to contemplate what he called a "Day of Retribution", a planned attack on women and couples.[104][145][146][147][148] With these plans in mind, on March 11, 2012, Rodger boarded a first-class airplane and took a private limousine to attend a private Katy Perry concert, tickets for which his family were given by friends.[149][150] The next day, Rodger went to the red-carpet premiere of The Hunger Games with his father and stepmother, where he met Jack Ross, the 16-year-old son of the film's director Gary Ross.[61][151][152]
Rodger began to believe the only way he would get a girlfriend was to get rich. He bought lottery tickets for the Mega Millions jackpot in June 2012, but he did not win. Rodger started to amass funds for his planned attack, saving up to $6,000 to buy supplies.[104] The following month, while walking alone in a park, he saw college students playing kickball.[47][153][154] Rodger was overwhelmed with envy when seeing blonde women interacting with men; he purchased a Super Soaker and filled it with orange juice.[62][47][155][156] He returned to the park, yelled at the students and sprayed them.[47][61][157]
In August 2012, Rodger's father gave him The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, a self-help book that promotes the law of attraction. Motivated by its principles, Rodger spent a month meditating in his bedroom, imagining himself walking through a park alongside a beautiful woman.[103][104][158] The following month, Rodger broke his laptop computer in rage after failing to win a $120 million Mega Millions jackpot. While traveling to Oxnard the next day to purchase a replacement laptop, he visited a shooting range to learn how to use a firearm, believing his "Day of Retribution" was now possible.[104][159][160]
Still hopeful of becoming rich, Rodger drove to Arizona in November 2012 to buy tickets for the Powerball jackpot, which had been raised to $500 million.[104][103] Despite driving to Arizona four times, Rodger failed to win, further angering him.[161][162][163] Thinking this meant he would remain a virgin, Rodger began to prepare for his "Day of Retribution", choosing the city of Isla Vista as his target.[48] In December 2012, Rodger bought a Glock 34 Long Slide semi automatic pistol for $755.57 at a firearms dealer in Goleta, California.[104][164][165][166]
In February 2013, Rodger called the police to report that someone had dented his car door while it was parked. He claimed that the owner of a white BMW had repeatedly dented his vehicle's door and that he confronted the person, who then apologized and promised to be more careful. Rodger contended that he didn't believe the damage was intentional, but later claimed he found additional dents on his car. A police officer and a sheriff's deputy inspected both Rodger's vehicle and the white BMW but found no damage on either car.[91][92][167]
In March 2013, Rodger purchased a SIG Sauer P226 handgun for $1,179.48 in Burbank.[104][166][168] Rodger scheduled his attack to take place around Halloween 2013, but he realized the heightened police presence during the holiday would thwart his plans.[169][170][171] He began to plan his attack for sometime in November 2013.[11][61] Rodger and two new roommates were placed in a new apartment complex after taking a questionnaire about their personalities.[172][173] Rodger initially joined them for social activities but after a few outings, he began to distance himself. The roommates suspected Rodger possessed a firearm after hearing a clicking sound from his room numerous times. They moved out in June 2013, having become uncomfortable living with Rodger.[174][175][176]
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On July 20, 2013, Rodger was intent on losing his virginity days before his 22nd birthday; he drank vodka to ease his nerves before attending a house party with the hope of engaging with women.[6][11] As he entered the house, Rodger saw an Asian man talking with a blonde woman. Rodger became angry and deliberately bumped into the man as he walked by them.[139] Frustrated by his inability to talk with women at the party, he climbed a 10-foot (3.0 m) ledge and pretended to shoot people with his finger. When he attempted to shove multiple women off the ledge, a group of men pushed Rodger off, resulting in a fractured ankle.[6][177][178] Rodger tried to leave the party but realized he had lost his sunglasses and necklace. He was still inebriated and attempted to return to the party but inadvertently walked into another house, where the occupants assaulted him, causing him bruises, scrapes, and a swollen left eye. Following this incident, Rodger returned to his apartment.[11][179][180]
The following day, Rodger's father took him to a hospital, where Rodger was given surgery for his ankle.[11] He helped his son file a police report, which caused two sheriff's deputies to attend the hospital to question Rodger. Rodger said he was pushed off the ledge after insulting someone's appearance, that he went to a different house and was then assaulted by approximately ten men without provocation after getting called a homophobic slur. When asked why he did not call police, Rodger said he did not know who to contact.[11][177][181] A deputy remarked on Rodger's dishonesty, deeming him too timid to tell the truth. A witness confirmed Rodger instigated the incident, noting he acted strangely and did not talk to anyone at the party.[177][182] A neighbor saw Rodger returning home in tears, swearing to kill his assailants and contemplating suicide. The sheriff's office concluded Rodger was the instigator, and the investigation was closed without further action. Rodger was not arrested nor further interrogated.[104][177][183]
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In August 2013, while recovering from ankle surgery, Rodger stayed with his mother and agreed to meet with a former childhood therapist. Fueled by resentment over the house party incident and his repeated rejections by women, Rodger concluded his only recourse was to enact his "Day of Retribution". Hindered by his fractured ankle, he postponed his planned attack until early 2014.[11][104] Rodger's parents sought more professional help for him, leading to therapy sessions with controversial psychiatrist Charles Sophy, who began treating Rodger in late 2012.[184][185][186] Sophy prescribed the antipsychotic drug Risperidone, which Rodger decided not to take after researching it online.[m] Rodger stopped attending his appointments with Sophy by late 2013.[191][192][193]
Rodger's father sought assistance from his friend Dale Launer, a filmmaker who is known for his work on relationship-themed movies, to improve his son's interactions with women. Launer agreed to help, and he and Rodger communicated via email and met in person, but Rodger found Launer's guidance ineffective.[11][184][194] His mother enlisted the help of an agency that provided three counselors. Between May 2013 and May 2014, Rodger attended 29 sessions; he connected well with two male counselors but became jealous when they became social, and made remarks about women around them. He formed a connection with a female counselor but was offended by the suggestion he required paid female companionship, comparing it to being with a prostitute.[11][39][62] Rodger told his counselors about an interest in joining political science clubs and volunteering, with the goal of transferring to UCSB. Because of this, in late 2013, a counseling director told Rodger's mother he appeared to be making a sincere effort to improve his life and reduce his social isolation.[11]
Rodger's parents also engaged a life coach named Gavin Linderman, who provided Rodger with instructions to improve his social life, requiring him to travel to Los Angeles for the sessions. During their meetings, Rodger told Linderman about his struggles with his virginity.[11][39][109] Linderman suggested moving away from Isla Vista would be beneficial for his mental health, but Rodger dismissed the idea.[61][195] Linderman advised Rodger's mother to consider having her son leave Isla Vista. She then gave Rodger two options: either she would help him find a residential treatment center where he could receive daily therapy, or he could move back home and receive intensive treatment from a therapist and social worker. Rodger responded by asking his mother to continue paying his rent, saying he had made new acquaintances, and promising to focus on his classes and meet with counselors. Because Rodger was now an adult, his mother could not legally force him to leave Isla Vista. After discussing with the therapists, his mother was told that she did all she could and was advised to support her son's wish to stay and complete his education.[11] Rodger's mother then bought him a used 2008 BMW 328i Coupé for $40,000, giving him hope he might attract a girlfriend during the remainder of 2013.[n]
Behavior with others
The following semester, Rodger enrolled in classes but quickly withdrew from them.[11] In September 2013, Rodger was assigned a random apartment, where he gained two new roommates: 20-year-old Weihan "David" Wang and 20-year-old Cheng Yuan "James" Hong.[104][200][201] As Wang's mother helped her son move his belongings into the apartment, she urged the three to take care of each other, advice which Rodger quickly rejected.[202]
Rodger spent most of his time either out of the apartment or alone in his room,[202] making Wang feel concerned by his antisocial behavior. Wang filed complaints with the building manager, saying Rodger played loud music during the night.[203][204][205] On January 15, 2014, Rodger and Hong got into a fight when Rodger accused Hong of stealing three of his candles that were valued at $22.[o] The conflict began when Rodger became irritated by Hong's cooking; Rodger took his measuring cup, and Hong retaliated by taking Rodger's candles in an attempt to initiate a trade. Rodger then placed Hong under a citizen's arrest.[p] Upon police intervention, Hong said he believed Rodger had stolen his possessions, though Rodger denied the allegations.[208][209][210] Police discovered the candles on Hong's bed. After Hong refused to return the candles, he was arrested and charged with petty theft.[q]
Rodger later emailed the building manager, demanding the eviction of Hong and Wang from the apartment due to the stolen candles. He also complained they were always too loud and constantly played video games.[11][215] Hong was angered by Rodger's actions but refrained from confronting him, concerned it might worsen their living conditions. Hong and Wang distanced themselves from Rodger, and signed a lease for a different apartment for the following semester.[202][216][217] Rodger began to plan to murder Hong and Wang, finding them irritating and feeling they would obstruct his attack.[r]
In October 2013, Rodger's envy of his half-brother intensified upon learning from his stepmother he had secured opportunities to appear in television commercials.[221][222][223] Rodger began plotting to murder his half-brother, fearing his sibling would surpass him in popularity with girls and social status.[224][225][226] Additionally, he devised a plan to kill his stepmother by stabbing her in the neck due to their strained relationship and finding she would get in the way.[227][228][229] Rodger planned to commit the murders while his father was away on a business trip, as he was concerned he might hesitate if confronted with the task of killing his father as well.[230][231]
By January 2014, Rodger contemplated launching his planned attack during Valentine's Day or Deltopia, a spring break event in Isla Vista in early April. He dismissed these dates due to heightened police presence and his realization he required additional time for preparation.[232][233][234] Rodger eventually chose to mount his attack on April 26.[104][233] In February 2014, Rodger called his sister while drunk and wandering alone through Isla Vista while complaining about women ignoring him. Rodger's sister reassured him and calmed him. Concerned about his social isolation, she became worried the social scene in Isla Vista would further damage her brother's mental health.[11]
In February 2014, Rodger bought another SIG Sauer P226 handgun for $1,132 in Oxnard, in case the other two firearms jammed.[166][235] Throughout February and March of that year, Rodger visited gun ranges and made multiple ammunition purchases using money he had saved from gifts from his grandparents and the $500 monthly allowance from his father.[40][48] On two separate occasions, Rodger visited the library at SBCC, where a librarian helped him find books about serial killers and mass murderers. He read the books in the library but never checked them out.[39][92]
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Rodger had a social media presence, sharing selfies on his Facebook profile, on which he showed himself enjoying luxurious plane rides and attending movie premieres.[s] Rodger also frequently shared posts on Twitter and Google+, often posting pictures of himself alongside his car and posts about feeling lonely.[t] On his personal blog, Rodger portrayed himself as a "sophisticated, polite gentleman", describing his difficulties in socializing and connecting with others in Isla Vista.[u] He would drive around the city, and secretly record women and couples while complaining how lonely he felt while seeing them.[11][62][247] Rodger expressed his grievances about being a lifelong virgin on platforms such as YouTube.[v]
On the week leading up to April 26, Rodger uploaded twenty-two videos on YouTube, describing his loneliness and frustration due to his unsuccessful attempts at attracting a girlfriend.[104][251][252][253] In the videos, he would question why women would prefer "inferior" men over him, questioning why his perceived good looks, high end clothes and expensive car failed to garner any attention or acknowledgment from them, with video titles such as: "Why do girls hate me so much?", "Being lonely on Spring Break sucks", "Life is so unfair because girls don't want me", and "My reaction to seeing a young couple at the beach, Envy."[w]
In additional YouTube videos, Rodger recorded himself driving around California in his BMW while dancing to music from musicians including Whitney Houston, George Michael, and Phil Collins.[x] He posted his videos to forums like Bodybuilding.com, where despite his attempts to show his loneliness, users left ridiculing comments, calling him desperate and insecure.[47][69] Rodger subscribed to multiple YouTube channels associated with the men's rights movement that posted content advising men on attracting and talking with women.[262][263][264] He had a second YouTube channel named "Valtharion".[265][266][267] Rodger would leave negative comments across several videos, calling women derogatory terms and accusing other men of lying about their relationships with women. He also boasted about his affluent family background and expressed a sense of superiority due to being half-white.[265][268]
His online activities also included searches related to the Nazis, such as researching Joseph Goebbels and Heinrich Himmler, and searching topics like: "Did Adolf Hitler have a girlfriend", "Adolf Hitler and the law of attraction", "Nazi curbstomp", "Holocaust of black people", and "Nazi anime".[y] Rodger also searched topics like: "shooting range Los Angeles", "Racism against Asian", "modern torture devices", "Spanish Inquisition torture devices", "Guangzhou train station knife attack" and "Xinjiang railway station terrorist knife attack explosion bombing".[271][272][273] Rodger frequently engaged with online forums such as ForeverAlone and PUAHate, which are connected with the manosphere.[z] Within these forums, Rodger and other men identified themselves as "incels", a shorthand term for involuntary celibate, and discussed their struggles to find a romantic or sexual partner, criticized each other, and expressed disdain towards women and pick-up artists.[aa]
When a user suggested having sex via lucid dreaming could serve as a substitute for a lack of intimacy in real life, Rodger argued incels needed to initiate a "revolution", saying it was essential to "destroy" the issues they faced by recognizing their "true strength and numbers". He advocated for the overthrow of what he termed the "oppressive feminist system", envisioning a world where women would live in fear of incels.[ab] Rodger also expressed racist views of interracial couples, mocking an Asian man trying to date a white woman and stating it was "rage-inducing" after he saw a black man socializing with white women.[ac] After users accused him of being racist, Rodger said he was shocked white women would choose "undeserving" men over himself.[ad]
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In the weeks leading up to April 26, 2014, Rodger created a 137-page manifesto entitled My Twisted World: The Story of Elliot Rodger.[ae] In the manifesto, Rodger describes his life and frustrations at staying a virgin. He described women as a "plague" and said their right to choose their own partners could "hinder the advancement of humanity"; and that "civilized men of intelligence" should choose women's sexual partners.[af] He also stated women should not be given any rights, and that their "wickedness" needed to be "contained" to avoid the risk of humanity "falling into degeneracy". Rodger said women's refusal to accept him was a "declaration of war" and hoped his attacks would reshape humanity.[ag] According to Rodger, to "purify the world", it is necessary to remove love and sex from human existence. He imagined himself as a leader with "fanatically loyal troops" who imprison women in concentration camps, and the few left alive would be kept in "secret labs" and be "artificially inseminated" with sperm samples to become pregnant, ensuring men would be unaware of women's existence.[103][307][308]
Rodger detailed his plan for his "Day of Retribution" and divided it into three phases.[309][310][311] The first phase involved killing his two roommates and then luring victims into his apartment, slowly torturing them before killing them.[ah] In the second phase, which he dubbed the "War on Women",[ai] he aimed to target "the very girls who represent everything I hate in the female gender", specifically focusing on the Alpha Phi sorority house with the intent to kill as many occupants as possible before setting fire to the building.[aj] In his final phase, before starting his proposed attack on the Alpha Phi sorority house, Rodger planned to drive to his father's house to kill his stepmother and half-brother.[325][326][327] He would then steal their Mercedes SUV and drive it to Isla Vista, starting his intended attack on the Alpha Phi sorority house before proceeding to shoot and run over as many people as possible with the vehicle.[63][328][329]
Rodger showed a section of his manifesto describing his childhood in England to his mother Li Chin, who was impressed and encouraged him to continue writing.[11] Rodger's father knew he had been writing something, but Rodger refused to show it to him. During a hike together, Rodger's father expressed interest in his son's writing and asked to see it. Rodger declined the request, assuring his father he would share it with him soon.[6]
In April, Rodger extended his preparations by visiting two additional gun ranges.[40][104] After posting videos to his YouTube channel in the week leading up to April 26,[251] he hoped a woman might see his videos and ask him on a date. Because this did not happen, Rodger planned to finish writing his manifesto and upload a final video minutes before starting his attack.[251][325] On April 24, Rodger became sick with a cold and his father returned early from his business trip, causing Rodger to question whether these events were a sign to abandon his plans. He postponed the date of his planned attack to May 24 to allow recovery from his cold and more time to live.[104][330][331]
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On April 30, 2014, Rodger's mother became worried after she had failed to contact him for several days.[ak] Li Chin looked him up online and found a video titled "Why do girls hate me so much?" he had posted on YouTube. Becoming disturbed by the content, she tried calling her son again but he did not answer. She then contacted Linderman and told him what she found.[al] Linderman contacted a crisis hotline and spoke with a staff member, voicing concerns about Rodger mentioning self-harm, causing the staff member to request a welfare check on Rodger.[am] Responding to the request, four sheriff's deputies, a university police officer, and a dispatcher in training visited Rodger's apartment.[335][342][343]
When the police arrived, Rodger said the videos were his way of expressing his social difficulties in Isla Vista and that he had no intention of hurting anyone or himself.[an] A deputy asked Rodger to call his mother to update her on his situation. He did so, told her he was fine, and handed his phone to one of the deputies. The deputy asked his mother if the videos caused her concern about Rodger harming himself or others.[11][337][347] After she said she was not concerned, the deputies handed Rodger back his phone and he told his mother he would call her later. Because they did not enter Rodger's apartment, watch his videos, or check whether he owned any weapons, they determined he did not pose an immediate risk to himself or others. The deputies determined Rodger did not meet the criteria for an involuntary hold and provided him with information on local support services.[ao]
Rodger was relieved after the police officers left because a search of his apartment would have uncovered his firearms and manifesto, and thwarted his attack.[351][352][353] He retained possession of a gun and several loaded magazines close at hand, and intended to use them if police returned.[187][354] Rodger removed most of his videos from YouTube, believing the way he acted on them had raised suspicion that could potentially ruin his plans.[343][355][356] A Bodybuilding.com user noticed that Rodger had removed the "Why do girls hate me so much?" recording, commenting that his romantic failures were likely due to "the creepy vibe that you give off". Rodger replied that his parents had forced him to take them down, but he planned to repost it.[ap] He later gave the same response in the description of one of his remaining videos, saying the videos concerned some of his family members and that he would repost them later.[aq] Rodger planned to repost the videos in the days leading up to his attack in May.[343][360] The following day, Rodger's mother contacted the counseling office at SBCC to report the incident, but was unable to speak to anyone. She felt relieved after hearing from her son again and planned to meet with him a few weeks later at Montecito with his sister.[11] As pressure mounted in anticipation of his planned attack, Rodger took Xanax to alleviate his anxiety.[39][361][362]
Throughout May 2014, Rodger drove across Santa Barbara, enjoying his final weeks of life.[104] On May 6, he was involved in an altercation with a couple at Goleta Beach. When a male driver was attempting to reverse out of a parking spot, Rodger used his car to block the driver's exit. The man's female partner, who was watching from her vehicle, witnessed the fight from their respective cars. Rodger told the man: "You're lucky to be an Asian guy dating a white girl. It's too bad she is such a horsefaced slut."[92] Rodger then drove off. After the male driver related the incident to his partner, she decided to pursue Rodger in her car. Upon catching up to him and attempting to confront him, Rodger said nothing, leaving the woman feeling uneasy and causing her to leave. As she drove away, she noticed Rodger speeding through the parking lot, almost hitting several cars. The woman called the emergency services and told police about the incident and to search the area for a black BMW.[91][92]
A week before his attacks, Rodger met his mother and sister for dinner at a restaurant in Montecito. During their meal, he saw a couple and quietly told his mother the man was too unattractive to be dating a blonde woman. Rodger's mother ignored his remark and shifted the conversation, feeling relieved to see her son again after April 30. Rodger's sister commented he was eating more than usual, which made him scoff at her. Once they finished eating, they went their separate ways.[11] Days before his attacks, Rodger reposted his videos including the "Why do girls hate me so much?" recording on YouTube.[104] The "Why do girls hate me so much?" video was later posted on Reddit's "r/cringe" subreddit,[62][259][363] where users discussed Rodger's mental health and considered calling the police due to his disturbing demeanor,[364][365][366] and some users compared him to the fictional serial killer Patrick Bateman from the film American Psycho (2000).[367][368][369]
On May 21, after being called a "low-class incel" on PUAHate, Rodger linked a video of himself, his father, and stepmother at the Hunger Games premiere, saying: "You're all jealous of my 10/10 pretty-boy face. This site is full of stupid, disgusting, mentally ill degenerates who take pleasure in putting down others. That is all I have to say on here. Goodbye."[11][39] The next day, Rodger accessed and viewed PUAHate and Bodybuilding.com before discovering and viewing anxietyzone.com.[39][40]
Despite initially selecting May 24 as the date for his attack, Rodger unexpectedly initiated his attacks a day earlier.[104] He told his mother his final day of school would be on May 23, that he would be taking a test at SBCC, and that he would call her after he finished the test.[92] Before beginning his attacks, Rodger visited a pizzeria called Giovanni's Pizza, where he stood silently on the patio, holding his phone. A female staff member approached and asked if he needed assistance, but Rodger remained silent, only smiling at her.[228][169] Before commencing his attacks, Rodger took Xanax and Benzodiazepine.[ar] He looked up pornography online and searched the terms "quiet silent kill with a knife" and "how to kill someone with a knife" before practicing stabbing on his bed sheets and pillows.[as] Rodger stabbed Hong, Wang, and their 19-year-old friend George Chen to death in their apartment, ambushing each one separately as they each entered.[39][91]
Hours later, Rodger went to a Starbucks and bought a triple-vanilla latte. He then returned to his apartment, emailing his manifesto to 34 people and uploading a seven-minute video called "Elliot Rodger's Retribution" to YouTube.[11][377][378] Rodger later drove to the Alpha Phi sorority house, and after failing to enter, noticed three women, members of the Delta Delta Delta sorority, walking around the Alpha Phi sorority house. Rodger pulled up to them in his car and shot them, killing 19-year-old Veronika Weiss and 22-year-old Katherine "Katie" Cooper while severely wounding the third woman.[379][380] Rodger then drove past a deli, shooting inside and killing 20-year-old Christopher "Chris" Michaels-Martinez.[381][382][383] Continuing his rampage through Isla Vista, Rodger shot and wounded several pedestrians from his car and struck others with his vehicle. He exchanged gunfire with police twice and sustained a hip injury. He then crashed his BMW into a cyclist and was found dead by police from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.[384][385][386]
Aftermath
An autopsy done on Rodger's body concluded he died from suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.[387] In June 2014, Rodger's body was cremated and released to his family, who held a private ceremony and planned to hold a funeral in England later that year.[388]
Victims killed
During his attack, Rodger killed six people, all of whom were University of California, Santa Barbara students, with 14 others sustaining injuries, seven by gunfire and seven who were hit by Rodger's vehicle.[at]
- 20-year-old Weihan "David" Wang (July 6, 1993 – May 23, 2014), junior majoring in computer engineering, died from multiple stab wounds[au]
- 20-year-old Cheng Yuan "James" Hong (April 15, 1994 – May 23, 2014), senior majoring in computer engineering, died from multiple stab wounds[av]
- 19-year-old George Chen (September 14, 1994 – May 23, 2014), freshman majoring in computer science, died from multiple stab wounds[aw]
- 19-year-old Veronika Elizabeth Weiss (February 24, 1995 – May 23, 2014), freshman majoring in financial mathematics and statistics, died from multiple gunshot wounds[ax]
- 22-year-old Katherine "Katie" Breann Cooper (December 26, 1991 – May 23, 2014), senior double majoring in art history and classics and archeology, died from multiple gunshot wounds[ay]
- 20-year-old Christopher "Chris" Ross Michaels-Martinez (December 23, 1993 – May 23, 2014), sophomore majoring in English, died from single gunshot wound to the chest[az]
Rodger and his attacks brought the incel community to mainstream attention and were praised by young men around the world who identified as incels.[ba] Incels post tribute songs, and others distributed t-shirts with Rodger's image.[427][428][429] Incels refer to Rodger as a "saint" and a "hero", celebrating "Saint Elliot Day" on every anniversary of his attacks.[bb] Incels also refer to Rodger as "E.R.", and his mass killings have inspired similar crimes.[bc] Incels involved in or suspected of other mass killings have frequently cited Rodger as an influence, often referring to their attacks as "going E.R."[bd] On April 23, 2018, 25-year-old Alek Minassian killed eleven people and injured fifteen others in Toronto, Canada, by driving a van into pedestrians.[be] Before his attack, Minassian posted on his Facebook profile: "Private (Recruit) Minassian Infantry 00010, wishing to speak to Sgt 4chan please. C23249161. The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys! All hail the Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger!"[450][451][452][453]
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