On this day in 1965, sixteen year old Michael Andrew Clark took up a position overlooking Highway 101 near Orcutt, CA and began shooting at cars as they passed. The night before the shooting spree, Clark stole his parents car and left his home in Long Beach, CA. He brought his father’s pistol and Swedish Mauser rifle (similar to the one pictured above) with him.
During the shooting spree, two people were killed at the scene. Twelve more were injured. One of the injured victims, five year old Kevin Reida, later died from his wound.
Police were called to the scene. As deputies and Highway Patrol officers closed in, Clark did what most of these twisted cowards do: he killed himself.
Further reading:
Google News archive – Eugene Register-Guard, April 26, 1965: Young Sniper on California Hill Kills Two Motorists Injures Twelve
Wikipedia – 1965 Highway 101 sniper attack
Wikipedia – Swedish Mauser
IMDb – Targets (a 1968 movie that was loosely inspired by this incident)
Reblogged this on Brittius.
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John D.:
Sure, the world had a few nutjobs back then…and history proves we ALWAYS had them lurking about.
It’s just today, people take more notice…and NOT because of the mental state of the person, but the INSTRUMENT used in such a crime.
We, as a nation, need to get OUR priorities straight, so we can avoid tragedies like the one above.
Good post.
Roll safe out there.
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