Unknown Motives for Recent Shootings

Unfortunately, similar incidents occur every day. Just on Thursday, 22-year-old Ross Truett Ashley shot and killed police officer Deriek Crouse on the Virginia Tech campus, reopening old wounds from 2007 when student Seung-Hui Cho killed 33 people on campus.

It seems there is little that can be done to prevent these tragedies. Oftentimes, there are longstanding psychological issues at play, but just as frequently, it seems that family members and close friends are left in shock when the perpetrator turns to violence. Tyler Brehm, who randomly shot at cars near a busy Hollywood intersection last week, was described by his girlfriend of four years as a “humanitarian” who hoped to "change the world for the better". Similarly, Matt Daily, Ashley's best friend, insisted that there was no reason to suspect that Ashley had been planning any kind of attack.


While an individual may demonstrate signs of mental instability there are rarely signs it could escalate to such violence. Often these rampages are triggered by incidents that are regarded by most as part of life. Shortly before his shooting spree at a busy Hollywood intersection, Brehm's four year relationship with his girlfriend, Alicia Alligood had fallen apart. The two had recently arrived from Pennsylvania and were subletting an apartment in the Hollywood area. According to Alligood, Brehm, who was unemployed, was “really stressed out lately,” and had recently obtained pills from a pharmaceuticals saleswomen. According to Alligood, “he was very anti-pharmaceutical” so she was surprised that he was taking the pills. Despite this information, officials have yet to determine a motive for the violence that ultimately led to Brehm's death. After firing more than 20 rounds, the man aimed his gun at an officer and was subsequently shot down.

There is even less information for officials to go on for Ashley. He was not a student at Virginia Tech and apparently had never come in contact with his victim before Thursday. All that is known is that on Wednesday, Ashley walked into real estate office with a handgun and ordered that the keys to a white 2011 Mercedes SUV be handed over. That car was found on the Virginia Tech campus the following day after Crouse had been shot during a routine traffic stop, which strangely did not even involve Ashley. Later Ashley was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gun wound about a quarter mile away. Police revealed that according to ballistics evidence, both men were shot with the same gun. While Ashley had made infrequent trips to the shooting range in the past, Dailey asserts that he hadn't even purchased bullets for the gun for some time. He went on to say that although Ashley could be introverted and “was definitely off in some ways,” he was basically a normal 22-year-old. He went on to say that he could not see Ashley getting involved in such violence without reason. With no real motive, state police investigators can only re-trace Ashley's actions in the days immediately prior to the murder-suicide and hope that new information will be more revealing.

The motive behind each of these cases, and many others may never be brought to light. Most likely, these individuals snapped and violence ensued, ultimately leading to an end for them and lasting change for many others.