California State University, Fullerton massacre
Encyclopedia
The California State University, Fullerton massacre was an incident of mass murder
that occurred on Monday, July 12, 1976, at California State University, Fullerton
, in Fullerton, California
, United States
.
The gunman, 37-year-old Edward Charles Allaway, was a custodian at the school's library. Armed with a semi-automatic rifle he purchased at a Buena Park
Kmart
, Allaway killed seven people and wounded two others in the library's first-floor lobby and at the building's Instructional Media Center (IMC), located in the basement, before fleeing the school campus. He later drove to a nearby hotel in Anaheim
where his former wife worked, and there he telephoned police to report his actions.
Allaway was later found guilty of six counts of first degree murder and one count of second degree murder. However, a second phase of the trial determined that he was not sane. Five different mental health professionals diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia. He presented a history of mental illness. He was committed to the California state mental hospital system, and remains at Patton State Hospital
in San Bernardino
.
Allaway's apparent motive was that he thought pornographers were forcing his wife to appear in movies. This served to enrage him. His wife had filed for divorce just before the attack occurred. The defense alleged that commercial pornographic movies were being shown by library staff members before library opening hours and in break rooms, but Allaway's wife was not in them.
Mass murder
Mass murder is the act of murdering a large number of people , typically at the same time or over a relatively short period of time. According to the FBI, mass murder is defined as four or more murders occurring during a particular event with no cooling-off period between the murders...
that occurred on Monday, July 12, 1976, at California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton is a public university located in Fullerton, California. It is the largest institution in the CSU System by enrollment, it offers long-distance education and adult-degree programs...
, in Fullerton, California
Fullerton, California
Fullerton is a city located in northern Orange County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 135,161.It was founded in 1887 by George and Edward Amerige and named for George H. Fullerton, who secured the land on behalf of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The gunman, 37-year-old Edward Charles Allaway, was a custodian at the school's library. Armed with a semi-automatic rifle he purchased at a Buena Park
Buena Park, California
Buena Park is a city in northwestern Orange County, California. As of Census 2010 the population was 80,530. The city is adjacent to the city of Anaheim and is 12 miles northwest of downtown Santa Ana. The Current OMB metropolitan designation for Buena Park and the Orange County Area is "Santa...
Kmart
Kmart
Kmart, sometimes styled as "K-Mart," is a chain of discount department stores. The chain acquired Sears in 2005, forming a new corporation under the name Sears Holdings Corporation. The company was founded in 1962 and is the third largest discount store chain in the world, behind Wal-Mart and...
, Allaway killed seven people and wounded two others in the library's first-floor lobby and at the building's Instructional Media Center (IMC), located in the basement, before fleeing the school campus. He later drove to a nearby hotel in Anaheim
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
where his former wife worked, and there he telephoned police to report his actions.
Allaway was later found guilty of six counts of first degree murder and one count of second degree murder. However, a second phase of the trial determined that he was not sane. Five different mental health professionals diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia. He presented a history of mental illness. He was committed to the California state mental hospital system, and remains at Patton State Hospital
Patton State Hospital
Patton State Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in San Bernardino, California.Opened in 1893 as the Southern California State Asylum for the Insane and Inebriates, it was renamed Patton State Hospital after Harry Patton, a member of the first Board of Managers, in 1927.Patton is a state...
in San Bernardino
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
.
Allaway's apparent motive was that he thought pornographers were forcing his wife to appear in movies. This served to enrage him. His wife had filed for divorce just before the attack occurred. The defense alleged that commercial pornographic movies were being shown by library staff members before library opening hours and in break rooms, but Allaway's wife was not in them.
Dead
- Stephen L. Becker, age 32, assistant librarian
- Seth Arthur Fessenden, age 72, professor emeritus of speech
- Paul F. Herzberg, age 30, Instructional Media Center (IMC) photographer
- Bruce A. Jacobson, age 32, IMC equipment technician
- Donald Eugene Karges, age 41, custodian
- Deborah Delores Paulsen, age 25, custodian
- Frank G. Teplansky, age 51, IMC graphic artist
Wounded
- Maynard Hoffman, age 64, custodial supervisor
- Donald Keran, age 55, library supervisor