#jameshuberty

 James Oliver Huberty:Massacre in San Ysidro 

-On July 18th, 1984, James Huberty opened fire on a Mcdonald’s in San Ysidro, California, killing 21 before being killed by a Police sniper.

-James Oliver Huberty was born October 11th, 1942, in Canton, Ohio to devoutly religious parents Earl Vincent and Icle Evalone Huberty. Huberty contracted polio at age three, which lead to him wearing steel and leather braces. Although he made a full recovery, he was afflicted with a mild limp for the remainder of his life. In 1950, Huberty’s father moved to a farm in Mount Eaton. Icle refused to move and ultimately abandoned the family. His father recalled finding him slumped against the chicken coop, crying. Huberty was described as a sullen child, and his primary interest was target practice. Due to his limp, religious beliefs, and poor social skills, Huberty was often bullied in school. Huberty married his wife Etna Markland in 1965, and the couple had two children, Zeila and Cassandra. Huberty was described as sullen, ill-tempered, and paranoid by neighbors and coworkers. A conspiratorial and paranoid individual, Huberty believed that the US Government, Ronald Reagan, and Jimmy Carter were conspiring against him. Huberty had large caches of non-perishable foods and guns in his home due to a belief that the Soviets would become more aggressive. Huberty was fired several times, and his wife said he began hearing voices during this time. Huberty once threatened to commit suicide, but was succesfully talked out of it by his wife. The family also relocated several times, once to Tijuana, once to Ohio, before finally settling in San Ysidro. 

-Huberty’s motive remains unclear, however, the most likely motive is a final cry for help. Three days before the shooting, Huberty told his wife he believed he had a mental problem. On the morning of the 17th, he called a mental health clinic in San Diego, but due to his calm demeanor and lack of previous hospitalizations for mental health issues, his case was deemed non-crisis and was set to be handled in 48 hours. The day of the shooting began with the Huberty family visiting the San Diego Zoo. During their visit, Huberty told his wife that he believed his life was effectively over. While referring to the phone call to the clinic, Huberty said “Well, society had their chance.” Shortly after returning home, Huberty changed into a maroon t-shirt and green slacks. Before leaving, Huberty is alleged to have said to his wife “I’m going hunting. Hunting for humans.” when asked where he was going. Tragically, his final words to his eldest daughter, Zeila, were “Goodbye. I won’t be back.” Huberty then drove to the Mcdonald’s on San Ysidro Boulevard.

-The shooting began at approximately 3:56 PM when Huberty, armed with a semi-automatic pistol, an Uzi, and a 12-gauge shotgun, approached 16 year old employee John Arnold. Initially, Huberty’s gun didn't fire, which lead to Huberty shooting Neva Caine with his Uzi after she tried to approach Arnold. After shooting Caine, Huberty told everyone in the restaurant to get on the ground. Huberty referred to everyone in the restaurant as “dirty swine, Vietnam assholes” and claimed he’d “killed a thousand” and intended to “Kill a thousand more.” Huberty continued shooting indiscriminately, both inside and outside the restaurant. Huberty at one point adjusted a nearby radio, turning on music and shooting while dancing to the music. Police arrived on scene 10 minutes after the initial call was made. A lockdown was deployed for an area spanning six blocks from the site of the shooting. The authorization to kill the perpetrator was given at 5:05 PM. This opportunity wouldn’t come until 5:17 PM, when Huberty walked close to the front door, giving police sniper Charles Foster the shot he needed. The shot that killed Huberty entered his chest, severed the aorta just beneath his heart, and exited through his spine. All in all, the massacre lasted 77 minutes, with Huberty firing as many as 257 rounds.