Death Machine

[smithy Profile]

Thanks Trav - my memory isn't so bad eh?

[para_owl Profile YIM]

I think it was for Shock value and nothing more. The second mention by Z of 'School Bus' strikes FEAR in the community. People who were Children back then have shared their memories of Police following buses and Parents opting to drive their kids instead.

In this respect, the device(or the drawing) DID work. It instilled fear and panic in the local population.

I agree with this. He had to amp up the threats to keep getting attention. It would be interesting if Z really did try to build something like this and it was a failure. He probably thought about being a real bomber, but the risks would be too high. Much more traceable evidence, witnesses might notice strangers/strange behavior. I can imagine some hoaxer claiming they found some remnant of this bomb at a property.

--Will.

[duckking2001 Profile]

I'm guessing his school bus threat was just to get his letter printed and was always a "joke". He then tried to push the joke further, to raise the ante as you say, and again got more publicity. At that point he knew that he could say whatever he wanted and didn't have to actually do anything about it.

He didn't just make that stuff up, so he was at least wondering what it would take to build a bomb. I think that he probably did do some experiments in bomb building but they were small scale, probably not that effective and more difficult than he had thought. Better to get his kicks out of playing mind games from the comfort of home.

He probably didn't think about it in terms of danger, exposure and getting caught, but that probably was what it amounted to.

I also don't think that he wanted to kill kids. If he wanted to kill kids, he'd have killed kids and not adults. It takes a certain kind of pathological mindset to do that which doesn't fit with Z.

[glurk Profile Website]

I'd argue that he DID kill kids, but I suppose that depends on how old one is.

[duckking2001 Profile]

That's a good point and one worth thinking about when it comes to Z's victimology. To clarify I was just trying to put the buss bomb into context with his other threats.

[Gindodawg Profile]

IMO, it is better stated: Z didn't kill any young children that we know of . . . Duck, I agree with your last statement about the age thing. Maybe, in Z's mind his victims were children. . .

[traveller1st Profile]

Well he himself did refer to them as kids.

[Gindodawg Profile]

Well he himself did refer to them as kids.

True, very true Trav. Unless, you subscribe to the Horan files.

[traveller1st Profile]

No way - I subscribe to the Highlander Theory ... "There can be only one"

[para_owl Profile YIM]

I also don't think that he wanted to kill kids. If he wanted to kill kids, he'd have killed kids and not adults. It takes a certain kind of pathological mindset to do that which doesn't fit with Z.

Yeah, I can imagine he is sort of "Walter White" type of evil, and would draw the line at killing kids. Let me clarify my connotation of "kids", I mean school children.

IF he crossed that line AND take credit for it in the letters, I think that would be one step too far, but at the time it was believable. Had he killed kids, that would given the governor or some other political figure the justification to form a massive task force and it probably would have worked. Z would have really had to re-invent his MO kill children in a manner that would be consistent with the other killings. Even if he just went to a bus stop, it would be hard to have that quick exit he had before. He would not have the same control of the scene and IMO most likely leave more significant clues.

--Will.