The search for clues about what motivated a man to open fire on shoppers at a North Texas shopping mall is now focused heavily on social media.
NBC 5 Investigates has learned Allen Police detectives have obtained warrants seeking access to a number of the suspect’s accounts with major social media platforms. In warrant affidavits, investigators said they believe the accounts may provide a clearer picture of how and when the shooter began planning the assault on a crowd at the Allen Premium Outlets.
In one of the warrants, investigators describe images from a YouTube video entitled "Psychovision Face Reveal," posted on the day of the shooting. Investigators said they believe the video shows the gunman wearing a ”Scream” mask, then removing the mask to reveal his face.
A link to that video was also posted on Russian social networking site OK.ru, where NBC 5 Investigates viewed it along with dozens of other posts on what appears to be the suspect's own page.
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That page also contains images that suggest the shooter scouted the Allen outlet mall just weeks before the attack to see when it is busiest. Some of the posts include photos of what appears to be the shooter’s Nazi tattoos, along with posts containing a litany of grievances and rants about women and various ethnic and religious groups.
“We do know that he had neo-Nazi ideation,” Texas Department of Public Safety Director Hank Sibley said at a news conference Tuesday.
Tom Petrowski, a former FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force supervisor told NBC 5 investigates he suspects the shooter may have turned to a foreign social media site to publish some of the content because it would be less likely that people who knew him would see the posts and alert authorities.
“Putting this stuff on an obscure Russian platform, he knows that that's just not going to go anywhere,” Petrowski said.
In hindsight, Petrowski said it seems easy to connect the dots in the social media posts about what the attacker was planning. But, he said it’s much more difficult for investigators to find those posts and take action before an event without help from the public, especially given the litany of disturbing posts he says now populate social media sites worldwide.
“We look at things he was posting online and they're very troubling. But, the sad truth is the social media platforms around the world are just saturated with material like this,” Petrowski said.
After reviewing some of the posts, Petrowski said it seems the shooter hoped investigators would find his Russian social media page after the attack. In one post it even appears he left a coded message for police a little more than two weeks ago. A note above that message seems to taunt authorities challenging them to solve the puzzle.
To me, it looks like he targeted the location rather than a specific group of people. He was very random. And the people he killed, it didn't matter the age, race or sex. He just shot people.
Texas Department of Public Safety Director Hank Sibley
Authorities said Tuesday that they are continuing to review digital evidence to gather more information about the shooter’s ideology and motivations, but said the gunman appeared to fire randomly on the crowd.
“To me, it looks like he targeted the location rather than a specific group of people. He was very random. And the people he killed, it didn't matter the age, race or sex. He just shot people,” Sibley said.
Meanwhile, the search warrants obtained by NBC 5 Investigates also reveal more details about the weapons involved in the attack.
The warrant affidavits said the gunman was equipped with a tactical vest, 10 rifle magazines, an AR-15-style rifle, a handgun and six pistol magazines.
Authorities confirmed Tuesday that the shooter once had a Texas security guard's license but said the license had lapsed in recent years.
They also said they are trying to learn more details about the man’s sudden departure from the U.S. Army and questions surrounding his fitness for duty.
The Army has said the suspect was discharged in 2008 before even completing basic training.
Questions about the shooter’s military background, and the social media posts, leave Petrowski wondering if a tragedy could have been avoided if only someone had seen the posts and spoken up.
“We keep repeating the, you know, 'see something, say something' mantra, but that's really what it comes down to,” he said.
