Mass Murderer Carl Robert Brown (1982)
Background
Carl Robert Brown was born on November 26, 1930, in Chicago, Illinois. He served in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged in 1954. In 1955, he relocated to Florida. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Miami in 1957 and a master’s degree in education from East Carolina College in 1964 .
He became a history teacher at Hialeah Junior High School in 1962 and later taught accounting at Miami-Dade Community College from 1964 to 1970 .
His personal life deteriorated over time: he was married twice (his first wife died, his second marriage failed), developed psychiatric problems, and began isolating himself. He was characterized as increasingly disheveled, bigoted, and erratic—at one point waking neighbors by shouting "United States!" and firing a pellet gun at night .
In 1981, Brown was transferred to a school with a black-majority student body due to disciplinary issues. In March 1982, he was put on medical leave for psychiatric treatment .
The Crime
On the morning of August 20, 1982, around 11:00 a.m., Carl Robert Brown entered Bob Moore’s Welding & Machine Service in Miami, Florida, with an Ithaca 37, 12-gauge pump-action shotgun .
He opened fire inside the welding shop, killing eight individuals and injuring three others .
Reportedly, his motive was tied to a dispute over a welding bill, the quality of a lawn-mower engine, and a traveler’s check refusal .
Victims
- Nelson Barrios
- Lonie Jeffries
- Carl Lee
- Ernestine Moore
- Magnum Moore
- Martha Steelman
- Juan Tres-Palacios
- Pedro Vasques
These are the eight confirmed people who were fatally shot during the incident; three additional individuals were wounded, but their names are not publicly documented .
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Account
