Sylvia Seegrist
Encyclopedia
Sylvia Wynanda Seegrist (born July 31, 1960) is an American woman who on October 30, 1985 opened fire at a Springfield, Pennsylvania
shopping mall
, killing three people and wounding seven others before being disarmed by a shopper. The individuals killed included two men and a two-year-old. She was 25 years old and had been diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia 10 years earlier. Having been committed and discharged several times, her case stimulated discussion about the state's authority to commit possibly dangerous people versus individual rights.
s in several ways, such as a tendency toward violent thoughts, discussions, and behavior building to a major incident. She spent a good deal of time at the mall she chose for the 1985 spree, harassing customers and making statements about how "good" other spree killings were, such as the 1984 San Ysidro McDonald's massacre. Seegrist had made herself conspicuous with unusual behavior like sitting fully clothed in both a spa and steam room at a local fitness club. The clothes she chose to wear while doing these, and every other activity she undertook, were green army fatigues.
Seegrist's behavior was so disconcerting that clerks at a local K-Mart told her they had no rifles in stock when she tried to purchase one from them. She eventually purchased the Mini 14 at another store, and on October 30, 1985 she went to the mall. The first trip that day was not the rampage, as she shopped for Halloween items at a party store and worked out at the club before returning to the Springfield Mall
for the last time.
Seegrist exited her Datsun B-210, retrieved the weapon she had purchased, and then fired at a man approximately 30 yards from where she stood. The man was not hit and having seen the vehicle his would-be killer arrived in, flattened one of the Datsun's tires to prevent an escape in that vehicle. Meanwhile Seegrist had strode toward the nearest entrance and fired at a woman using a nearby ATM
, also missing. Before entering the mall, she managed to hit and kill two-year-old Recife Cosmen who was with his parents waiting to eat at a local restaurant.
Once inside, Seegrist fired into some stores and ignored others. Though many customers fled when they heard the gunfire, she came across Ernest Trout, who either could not or did not hear it and was simply standing in front of a store where he became one of the three people killed that day. Augustus Ferrara was the last person killed in the rampage. John Laufer, who did not realize Sylvia was firing real bullets, disarmed her as she walked up to him and tried to raise her gun to shoot him. Laufer forced her to a nearby store while he waited for the arrival of mall security. The first guard that responded asked her why she had just done what she did; her reply was "My family makes me nervous". She had ten rounds left in her weapon's magazine.
for evaluation and was eventually moved to the State Correctional Institution in Muncy
.
Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Springfield Township, or simply Springfield, is a township and a Census Designated Place in Delaware County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The population was 23,677 at the 2000 census...
shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
, killing three people and wounding seven others before being disarmed by a shopper. The individuals killed included two men and a two-year-old. She was 25 years old and had been diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia 10 years earlier. Having been committed and discharged several times, her case stimulated discussion about the state's authority to commit possibly dangerous people versus individual rights.
Early signs of trouble
Seegrist's story parallels those of other mentally disturbed spree killerSpree killer
A spree killer is someone who embarks on a murderous assault on two or more victims in a short time in multiple locations. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics defines a spree killing as "killings at two or more locations with almost no time break between murders."-Definition:According to the...
s in several ways, such as a tendency toward violent thoughts, discussions, and behavior building to a major incident. She spent a good deal of time at the mall she chose for the 1985 spree, harassing customers and making statements about how "good" other spree killings were, such as the 1984 San Ysidro McDonald's massacre. Seegrist had made herself conspicuous with unusual behavior like sitting fully clothed in both a spa and steam room at a local fitness club. The clothes she chose to wear while doing these, and every other activity she undertook, were green army fatigues.
Rampage at the Springfield Mall
Springfield Mall (Pennsylvania)
Springfield Mall is a regional shopping mall located approximately southwest of Philadelphia in Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. It is located just off of Interstate 476 along Baltimore Pike, near its busy intersection with Pennsylvania Route 320...
for the last time.
Seegrist exited her Datsun B-210, retrieved the weapon she had purchased, and then fired at a man approximately 30 yards from where she stood. The man was not hit and having seen the vehicle his would-be killer arrived in, flattened one of the Datsun's tires to prevent an escape in that vehicle. Meanwhile Seegrist had strode toward the nearest entrance and fired at a woman using a nearby ATM
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
, also missing. Before entering the mall, she managed to hit and kill two-year-old Recife Cosmen who was with his parents waiting to eat at a local restaurant.
Once inside, Seegrist fired into some stores and ignored others. Though many customers fled when they heard the gunfire, she came across Ernest Trout, who either could not or did not hear it and was simply standing in front of a store where he became one of the three people killed that day. Augustus Ferrara was the last person killed in the rampage. John Laufer, who did not realize Sylvia was firing real bullets, disarmed her as she walked up to him and tried to raise her gun to shoot him. Laufer forced her to a nearby store while he waited for the arrival of mall security. The first guard that responded asked her why she had just done what she did; her reply was "My family makes me nervous". She had ten rounds left in her weapon's magazine.
Trial
Seegrist was deemed competent to stand trial for the killings. Found guilty, but insane, she was sentenced to three consecutive life sentences for each victim killed. She also received seven consecutive 10-year terms, for the seven counts of attempted murder representing those who were wounded. The judge had said that Seegrist "should spend the rest of her life in some form of incarceration". She was sent to the psychiatric specialty hospital Mayview State HospitalMayview State Hospital
Mayview State Hospital is a former psychiatric hospital located in South Fayette Township near Bridgeville, Pennsylvania. It spanned and had 39 buildings, 12 of which were used for patient care and hospital administration...
for evaluation and was eventually moved to the State Correctional Institution in Muncy
Muncy, Pennsylvania
For other places named 'Muncy', please see Muncy .Muncy is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The name Muncy comes from the Munsee Indians who once lived in the area. The population was 2,663 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania...
.
Aftermath
Seegrist's actions helped spur the state government to form a legislative task force, in order to address better ways to care for the mentally ill in the community. Seegrist's mother also urged legislators to make changes to the state mental health laws. The existence or nature of changes made by the task force is unknown.Further reading
- Kanaley, Reid. "Her Demons Stilled, Seegrist Hopes for Freedom," The Philadelphia Inquirer, March 18, 1991.
- Kelleher, Michael D. Flash Point: The American Mass Murder. Westport, Connecticut: Praeger, 1997.
- Lane, Brian and Wilfred Gregg. The Encyclopedia of Mass Murder. New York: Carroll and Graf, 2004.
- Lee, Janis. "Confidentiality from the Stacks to the Witness Stand," American Libraries 19; June 1998.
- Young, Cathy. "When Delusions Beget Violence," Center Right, Issue 29, September 21, 1998.
- Walker, Julien. "Helping to Cope with Mental Illness at Friends Hospital," Northeast Times 2001.