The 1998 Thurston High School Shooting: A Tragic Tale of Violence and Mental Illness

The Shooting

On the morning of May 21, 1998, the peaceful halls of Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon, became the scene of a devastating tragedy. Fifteen-year-old Kipland Kinkel, a freshman at the school, unleashed a brutal attack that left two of his classmates dead and 25 others wounded. Armed with a semi-automatic rifle, Kinkel opened fire in the bustling cafeteria, drastically altering the lives of everyone present.

The day before this horrific event, Kinkel's life had already taken a dark turn. He had been suspended from school pending an expulsion hearing after admitting to storing a stolen handgun in his locker. In a chilling precursor to the school shooting, he had murdered his parents at their family home. Kinkel would later confess that his actions were a desperate plea for someone to end his life, having been unable to do so himself after killing his parents.

The Background

Kipland Phillip Kinkel, known simply as "Kip," was born on August 30, 1982, in Springfield, Oregon. The son of William and Faith Kinkel, both Spanish teachers, Kip was raised in what appeared to be a loving and supportive environment. Despite this, Kip's early years were marked by struggles. Diagnosed with dyslexia, he was placed in special education classes and repeated the first grade.

From a young age, Kip developed a fascination with firearms and explosives, an interest that only intensified during his adolescence. His father, William, initially discouraged this interest but eventually enrolled Kip in gun safety courses, buying him a 9mm Glock handgun and a .22 caliber rifle. This decision would later weigh heavily on the family’s tragic fate.

Kip's behavior was increasingly erratic and disturbing. He frequently spoke of violence, expressed a desire to join the army to experience killing, and was considered strange by his peers. His fascination with violence was further fueled by music from bands like Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson, and he gave a bomb-making demonstration in a school speech class.

Mental Health Struggles

Kinkel’s mental health was a growing concern. Diagnosed with major depressive disorder, he attended sessions with psychologist Jeffrey Hicks and was prescribed Prozac. However, Kip's therapy ended after just six months, and he failed to refill his medication. Unbeknownst to many, Kip was tormented by auditory hallucinations—voices in his head that urged him to commit violent acts. These voices, he later revealed, had been troubling him since he was 12.

Kip’s mental state deteriorated, leading him to believe in paranoid delusions, such as the government implanting a chip in his brain. These thoughts, combined with the voices, pushed him towards his eventual breaking point.

The Day Before: Expulsion and Murder

The cascade of events leading to the shooting began on May 20, 1998, when Kip was found with a stolen Beretta handgun at school. A friend had stolen the weapon, and Kinkel had hidden it in his locker. When confronted by school officials, he admitted its location. Suspended and facing expulsion, Kip was arrested and later released to his father. The ride home was tense, with William threatening military school if Kip's behavior did not improve.

Later that day, consumed by the voices in his head, Kip retrieved a Ruger .22-caliber rifle and shot his father in the back of the head. He then waited for his mother to return home, shooting her multiple times upon her arrival. After covering their bodies with sheets, Kip spent the night listening to Wagner's "Liebestod," a haunting piece from the opera Tristan und Isolde, echoing his troubled state of mind.

The School Shooting

The next morning, Kip drove his mother's Ford Explorer to Thurston High School, armed with two pistols, a rifle, two hunting knives, and over a thousand rounds of ammunition. Disguised under a trench coat, Kip entered the school's patio area and began his deadly assault, killing 16-year-old Ben Walker and wounding another student. He then moved into the cafeteria, where he fired 48 more rounds, killing 17-year-old Mikael Nickolauson and injuring 23 others.

His spree ended when his rifle ran out of ammunition, and fellow student Jacob Ryker heroically tackled him. Despite being injured, Ryker and several other students subdued Kip, preventing further bloodshed. Even in custody, Kip attempted violence, attacking a police officer with a concealed knife and pleading for death.

Aftermath and Legal Proceedings

The aftermath of the shooting was filled with grief and reflection. The community rallied with support, and a memorial was erected at Thurston High School to honor the victims. Kipland Kinkel pled guilty to multiple counts of murder and attempted murder, receiving a sentence of 111 years without parole. Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia after his trial, he began treatment with antipsychotic medication and remains incarcerated at the Oregon State Correctional Institution.

The shooting at Thurston High School resonated across the nation, one of several school shootings in a troubling pattern. President Bill Clinton addressed the tragedy during a visit to the school, highlighting the profound impact on the community and country. For those who lived through it, the events of May 21, 1998, remain an indelible scar, a haunting reminder of violence and the complexities of mental illness.

Sources

This retelling is based on the comprehensive account provided in the Wikipedia article on the Thurston High School shooting.