AWFUL

Nikolas Cruz Wanted to ‘Pretend to Be a Psychopath’: Report

According to harrowing new information in a 425-page detective’s report.

Accused Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz—who’s charged with murdering 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School last February—went online before the massacre to figure out how to “pretend to be a psychopath,” according to new details about the case released in a 425-page detective’s report. “I am neurotypical. How can I pretend to be a psychopath and get diagnosed as one?” the 19-year-old reportedly wrote on the online question site Quora, according to The South Florida Sun-Sentinel. In the aftermath of the shooting, Cruz could have been trying out some of these tactics: At some points, the report notes, he was calm—but at other times, he claimed that he was suicidal and that he was possessed by a demon. The report alleges, however, that the murders were not a spontaneous act. While carrying out the shooting, Cruz allegedly brought along a cellphone with screenshots of the school’s bell schedule. The cellphone also reportedly contained images of the location of vital organs, so Cruz could more effectively slaughter his targets.

R.I.P.

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