[Gun. Photo Credit to Pixabay]

On June 22nd, an 18-year-old named Bradley Scott Sayer was arrested and charged with the shooting at the Butte County Library Chico Branch, located in Northern California. 

Soon after, he was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, along with firearm use, and multiple-murder special circumstance enhancements.

He was responsible for the deaths of Jacob Cody Hull, 46,  and Robert Johnson, 77. 

In addition, Hull's 7-year-old niece was injured when she was cut by shattered library window glass while fleeing. 

Fortunately, she suffered no other major life-threatening injuries and was promptly treated at the hospital.

Upon receiving several emergency calls reporting gunshots and screams, officers from the Chico Police Department rushed to the library.

Upon arrival, they were able to successfully apprehend the suspect as he was escaping through the back of the building, where a police perimeter had already been established.

Three days later, Sayer appeared in court and was ordered to remain in custody without bail.

Indeed, police officers from the department stated that he intended to carry out a Columbine-style mass shooting from 1999, without knowing any of the victims beforehand, as they were regular visitors to the library. 

Sid Patel, a field agent in the FBI’s Sacramento Office, explained that Sayer was “looking for a confined, populated location to attack,” hence why he chose the library. 

Furthermore, law officials have publicly stated that Sayer’s attire bore a striking resemblance to that of the Columbine shooter, Eric Harris. 

More specifically, Sayer’s outfit included black clothing with suspenders and a white T-shirt that had the words " Natural Selection " written on it. 

Overall, the officers of the department have confirmed that Sayer had a deep obsession not just with the Columbine shooting, but all shooting cases in general. 

It was later identified that during Sayer’s high school days, he became a part of an internet fandom that glorified mass shootings. 

This led to his particular obsession with the Columbine one, leading to the attack. 

Mike Ramsey, a district attorney, shared more details about his past, stating that his friends described him as a generally shy kid who had a “disturbing journal.” 

On the day of the attack, Harris also posted a video online where he explicitly claimed he was on his way to commit a mass shooting while dressed as Harris. 

As for future proceedings, his next scheduled court appearance is set for July 16. 

Although other people have called for the death penalty, Ramsey states that prosecutors will instead seek a life sentence with no possibility of parole. 

Overall, many people are concerned with the fact that there are online groups out there that glamorize horrifying crimes such as murder and mass violence. 

This is because online communities like these can spread harmful ideas, encourage admiration for attackers, and potentially influence vulnerable individuals toward dangerous behavior. 

This concern is especially significant in the United States, where access to firearms is more widespread compared to many other countries.