[avery]

A F B was an American high school student who killed three people and wounded eleven others when firing at people in the street from windows at the third floor of Olean High School in Olean, New York, United States on December 30, 1974.

Police have found no apparent motives as to why B committed his crimes. A teammate of B on the school's rifle team recalls B having spoken of wanting to "hold up" the Olean Armory and engage in a police-standoff. B had just tried out for the bowling team but did not qualify.

In a note explaining his motives B wrote:

I guess I just wanted to kill the person I hate most -- myself, I just didn't have the courage. I wanted to die, but I couldn't do it, so I had to get someone to do it for me. It didn't work out.

On November 1, 1975, B hanged himself with a bedsheet in his cell at the Cattaraugus County Jail. Cattaraugus County coroner Dr. H C L ruled the death a suicide. B had written three suicide notes that were found on his bed in his cell. One note was addressed to his family, another note was addressed to a woman he corresponded with in prison, and the third note was addressed "to whom it may concern".

The third note read:

People are not afraid to die, it's just how they die. I don't fear death, but rather the pain. But no more. I regret the foods I'll never taste, the music I'll never hear, the sites I'll never see, the accomplishments I'll never accomplish, in other words, I regret my life. Some will always ask, 'Why?' I don't know — no one will. What has been, can't be changed. I'm sorry. It ends like it began; in the middle of the night, someone might think it selfish or cowardly to take one's own life. Maybe so, but it's the only free choice I have. The way I figure, I lose either way. If I'm found not guilty, I won't survive the pain I've caused — my guilt. If I'm convicted, I won't survive the mental and physical punishment of my life in prison.

Unverified comment:

He hanged himself in jail, in full view of the police, who could not get his cell door open because he had filled the lock with toothpaste.

[murofhsirgo]

What a lame

[Abor]

We've had school shooting in the past. We just didn't get instant news telling us it happened. People blame current society but it's all the same. Lookup the guy who burned down a preschool and killed thirty some children in the 1930s.

[S. Michael Simms]

Originally Posted by Abor ↗

We've had school shooting in the past. We just didn't get instant news telling us it happened. People blame current society but it's all the same. Lookup the guy who burned down a preschool and killed thirty some children in the 1930s.

The earliest known United States shooting to happen on school property was the Pontiac's Rebellion school massacre on July 26, 1764, where four Lenape American Indians entered the schoolhouse near present-day Greencastle, Pennsylvania, shot and killed schoolmaster Enoch Brown, and killed nine or ten children (reports vary). Only two children survived.

[Drastic85]

Hung himself the day my sister was born.

[Bastet]

Very interesting post I find it hard to understand why he did what he did let alone identify with him but there's one thing I can agree with: "I don't fear death but rather the pain".

[katarina77]

Almost 50 years later and nothing has changed, thanks to a 200+ year old piece of paper with som signatures. Only a few days since last school shooting killing 9 yo children. A disgrace to humanity .

[BMafia22]

insane, I used to live 30 min away in wellsville Ny, never heard of this. will have to ask family if they remember this tragedy when I see em again

[sky]

I have noticed that school shootings existed in the past!!

[K53]

Lives so wasted