Kipland Kinkel

Mass Murderer

Kipland Kinkel and the 1998 Thurston High School Massacre

Background

Kipland Phillip "Kip" Kinkel was a 15-year-old freshman at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon, when he murdered four people during a two-day period in May 1998. His victims included his parents, William and Faith Kinkel, and two Thurston High School students, Ben Walker and Mikael Nickolauson. Twenty-five additional students were wounded during the attack at the school. Kinkel was born on August 30, 1982, and grew up in what was generally considered a stable and supportive household. His father, William Kinkel, was a retired educator who had taught Spanish at Thurston High School and Lane Community College. His mother, Faith Kinkel, was a Spanish teacher at Springfield High School. The couple had an older daughter, Kristin, who was attending college away from Oregon when the murders occurred. During the years before the killings, Kinkel developed an intense fascination with firearms, explosives, death and violence. He accumulated weapons and frequently made disturbing comments to classmates. He had previously been arrested in connection with throwing rocks from an overpass and had received psychological treatment after displaying anger, depression and troubling behavior. A psychologist diagnosed him with major depression and prescribed medication, but the full extent of his psychiatric problems was not recognized before the massacre.

The Stolen Handgun and School Suspension

On May 20, 1998, school officials learned that Kinkel had a loaded, stolen handgun in his locker at Thurston High School. The weapon was a .32-caliber Beretta Model 90 pistol that another student had stolen from the father of a friend. Kinkel had reportedly purchased the gun for approximately $110 and brought it onto school property inside a paper bag. When school officials and police questioned him, Kinkel admitted that the handgun was in his locker. He was arrested and suspended from school while administrators prepared for an expulsion hearing. After being processed by police, Kinkel was released to his father. William Kinkel drove his son home and reportedly told him that his continuing behavioral problems could result in his being sent to a military school.

The Murder of William Kinkel

During the afternoon of May 20, 1998, Kinkel obtained a Ruger .22-caliber semiautomatic rifle from his bedroom and ammunition from another area of the family residence. At approximately 3:00 p.m., he approached his father in the kitchen of their home in Springfield. Kinkel shot William Kinkel in the back of the head. William was killed before he had an opportunity to defend himself or summon assistance. Kinkel then moved his father's body into a bathroom and covered it with a sheet. He remained inside the residence and waited for his mother to return from work. ...

Confirmed Victims: (4)

Bill Kinkel 59 yr old Male

1998 Thurston High School shooting - Wikipedia