The Malmö spree shooter identified as aspie
The man arrested on 6 November in Malmö, Sweden, suspected of committing at least 15 spree shootings against random immigrants, killing one and injuring several, has by Aftonbladet, the largest daily newspaper in Sweden, been identified as having Asperger's syndrome.
This is stated here: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article8087848.ab , on a list of things for and against the suspect being the shooter. Having AS is listed as a "for". This is the piece of text translated from Swedish:
The 38-year old is diagnosed with asperger's and lives an isolated life with the opportunity to hide his deeds. He is describes as an odd figure with a large interest in firearms. And have been seen bicycling alone during the nights by neighbours.
It is also stated here: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article8087979.ab , in a horrible piece of text. You'll see why I'm pissed about it when you've read it.
In September last year, a month before the first shooting, the 38-year old filed for sick leave from his job where he had been working in periods for about five years. Since a few years back he had believed that he was suffering from Asperger's. He read all the information he could get his hands on about the disease and bought books which he gave to relatives. When he applied for a job he told the employer he suffered from the disease. "I wanted him to seek medical care, but he said he did not need it and that he could handle himself", his father says. The alleged disease has been taking up more and more of the 38-year old's time.
"He probably had no one to talk to, there was never any talk of a girlfriend. But I know he had a close friend who he used to hang out with sometimes. He was a few years younger and suffered from the same disease as my son", the father says.
It was first in connection to the sick leave that doctors investigated him and made a diagnose.
I am, to say the least, a bit angry. There's a lot more info, albeit not about the AS, but I got too much to do to translate any of it.
Some additional info:
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malm%C3%B6_shootings List of the various shootings
* http://www.thelocal.se/30084/20101108/ Some info in English
Last edited by TechnicalPacifist on 08 Nov 2010, 1:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kiran
Velociraptor
Joined: 17 Jun 2010
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Posts: 443
Location: Somewhere in Scandinavia
Kiran
Velociraptor
Joined: 17 Jun 2010
Age: 33
Gender: Female
Posts: 443
Location: Somewhere in Scandinavia
my first thought, when i read about it here in denmark when they arrested the guy, was that they would come forward with an asperger Dx any day now... and so at last it came forward.
it is mentioned as one of the strongest arguments that he MUST be the right guy... because of his "illness"
but i have a tiny hunch that he is not the shooter...
Whoever committed these shootings - and I have no reason to think they may not have the right person - is a bigot, a jerk, and worse, terms I can't use according to the TOS. He is also male, white, Swedish, and has Asperger's. All murderers are evil; those who kill for 'racial' reasons are particularly warped. Some of them are female, non-white, many are not Swedish, and most do not have Asperger's. In other words, not every attribute of a person who commits murder has to do with their being a murderer.
I just wish more people would recognise this fundamental truth. Are they running around right now saying, "Oh, no! I'm Swedish, and he was Swedish - I hope I don't find myself suddenly killing anyone!"? Obviously, they're not. Just as obviously, to do so would be absurd. It is just as absurd if you replace the word 'Swedish' with 'an aspie', yet so few people see this.
It should not, yet it will be used as one more defense for bigotry - ironically, one of the very qualities of the shooter which is linked to his actions. Not that all bigots are killers, but bigotry is significantly more likely to serve as a motive for murder than tolerance. The irony makes this especially frustrating, at least to me. If anyone uses this incident as justification for killing an aspie, will anyone make the link then? Yet I certainly hope it doesn't ever go that far, even as I know it already has in other cases.
What can we do about it? I wish I knew.
One footnote. I've heard of Aftonbladet before - in connection with another bigoted story they published which had nothing to do with Asperger's or autism. I formed a very poor opinion of the quality of their content then. Nothing today has made me change my mind, it has simply provided further confirmation of my opinion. (And, yes, I have heard of confirmation bias... )
_________________
AQ Test = 44 Aspie Quiz = 169 Aspie 33 NT EQ / SQ-R = Extreme Systematising
===================
Not all those who wander are lost.
===================
In the country of the blind, the one eyed man - would be diagnosed with a psychological disorder
I just wish more people would recognise this fundamental truth.
+1 I wish they would too!
_________________
"Never ask the moon to brighten your day." ~ Anna & Ellie Sherise
157/200 Aspie -- 41/200 NT
15 shootings, one dead, several wounded, not an obsessive type, who would try for a perfect score,
Most likely some drunk who could not shoot well to start with.
They have the wrong guy, I predict the shootings will continue.
Anyone who could do this would be seen. Aspies stand out.
They have no case. Guns are restricted, they have several used bullets, where is the match?
This type of thing is more common in immigrant groups.
Bicycling alone at night? Living an isolated and reserved life, like all other Sweds?
When I discovered Wrong Planet, I spent years there. Yep, that is me.
We are late bloomers, but shooters start early, late teens and early twenties is normal, not something people just start at 38.
Not much news in Malmo.
That is certainly possible. I simply don't know enough details of the case to venture an opinion, either way.
If he's innocent, I hope he is set free quickly. If he is guilty, I hope they hang onto him.
Either way, the important thing to me is the way this will be misinterpreted by those already inclined to prejudice against us. Even if he is innocent, and this is quickly proven, how many people will remember that? Not nearly as many as the number who will remember that "some guy with Asperger's" was arrested. And that is a much larger problem, one with a much more elusive solution than the identity of the shooter.
_________________
AQ Test = 44 Aspie Quiz = 169 Aspie 33 NT EQ / SQ-R = Extreme Systematising
===================
Not all those who wander are lost.
===================
In the country of the blind, the one eyed man - would be diagnosed with a psychological disorder
They've found that one of his guns match bullets from some of the crime scenes, so he probably was the culprit in these shootings, but of cause, serveral of these shootings could actually be gang related, as some suspect. Some suspect that there are actually would be gang related shootings disguised as actions of this shooter or that there would be copycats.
There's a pretty heated and angry debate at Aspie blogs and forums in Sweden and Norway and a lot of people are pissed off.
Both Wikipedia, at least one online translator and me myself (Who is, in all honesty, very good at Swedish) translates "sjukdom" to "disease", and the only other possible meaning is sickness/illness. Plus, "disorder" is (I know this for a fact, trust me on this one) is "störning".
Because it is medically incorrect to name it such?
_________________
"There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart,
that you can't take part" [Mario Savo, 1964]
Similar Topics | |
---|---|
Most Aspie Song Ever? |
15 Apr 2024, 8:20 pm |
Aspie Or Just Private |
15 Apr 2024, 3:43 pm |
Getting Frustrated Had Enough (Aspie or Deeper) |
23 Mar 2024, 6:39 am |
The Secret to Aspie Knowledge |
11 Feb 2024, 10:49 am |