What are you talking about? Who is Cruz?

^^^

Seriously?

Seriously what?

Ted Cruz?

Nikolas Cruz, age 19, killed 17 in Parkland, Florida.

Yeah I wondered about that.

Rich men have kids into their 70s (ahem) but are theoretically able to provide for the family after they die. It seems this guy was just left...alone.

Oh - I haven't paid attention to the murderer's story or name.

He seems to be one of the many unfortunate ones who fall through the cracks...certainly does not excuse what he did.

The adoptive father died in 2004 at the age of 67 when Nicholas was 6. So he was only 60 or 61 and his wife 50 or 51 when they adopted the boys. Not too many families available to adopt two together especially since they were more than likely special needs children if the circumstances of their birth were indicative of druggie mother through out her pregnancy etc.

Plenty of grandparents who are even older raise children these days. Unfortunate but it isn't odd.

Chisue, I believe that is incorrect as to the father's age. He died in 2004 when he was 67 years old.

There is a picture of the mother with Nikolas as a young boy in this story, and she looks fairly young:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5404639/Florida-school-shooter-violent-against-mom-legally-got-gun.html

Now we’re on the REAL subject. Most people jump on the bandwagon on guns. But guns are only the vehicle used to assassinate quickly.

But this is EXACTLY what we need to know. What was the straw that broke the camels back. Was he bullied at school or was this just mental issues??

I was bullied all the time for being poor and too tall for my age. Of course this was in the 50’s. But it still hurt none the less.

JeCrigler, I read a story that said that he might have Fetal Alcohol Syndrome based on his facial features.

"About 85% of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder have characteristic facial features (wide-set eyes, thin upper lip, flat nasal philtrum, small head size called microcephaly). The degree of facial involvement does not correlate with the degree of brain dysfunction for the child, making the hidden effects of alcohol exposure the most damaging to the child, long-term. About 20-50% of alcohol-exposed children will have other physical conditions such as cleft lip and palate, heart defects, immune problems, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, renal damage or heart failure. Other children do not have characteristic facial features but have significant brain damage affecting their intellectual function and judgment. Most children with prenatal alcohol exposure will have limited life skills regarding relationships and decision-making. Mental illness is common, including depression, withdrawal, isolation and unpredictable behavior".

Kids today grow up watching violence on TV. Add this to a mental illness and it's a recipe for disaster.

Then, add to that the bullying component.

We get coverage with every detail from TV, social media, your computer etc. Yes, it's giving others ideas.

I don't know what the answer is.

"Kids today grow up watching violence on TV. "

They are not just watching it, they are immersed in it ... music, movies, video, video games, TV, the internet, the news. Saturate your brain with violence, how do parents think that is going to manifest itself?

I just don't understand parents who don't know, or care, what their children are watching, listening to, doing online ...

In an Instagram chat room now, deleted, he said his birth mother was Jewish and how he's glad he never met her because he hates her, all Jews, the N-word, immigrants, and white women who are with black men. This said while wearing his MAGA cap. He also was wearing it when he was filmed shooting guns in his underwear in his back yard by a neighbor.

All this is no surprise. The young man is mentally ill.

The story with photo seems to be one of Mrs. Cruz with a child much younger than either boy was when they were adopted at ages three and four. Perhaps they were foster parents of these boys for years before adopting them?

The story alludes to Mrs. Cruz was saying Nikolas was cutting himself to get attention. AFAIK, cutting is a means of overriding emotional pain by substituting physical pain.

Finding out the 'why' in no way excuses murder. None of the professionals who 'treated' Cruz have said he was mentally ill.

I agree finding out why doesn’t excuse the murders. But that’s where it begins and a good place to start.