Police report details Missouri school shooter’s mental health issues  

[Lauren Taylor]

TWO YEARS AFTER THEN-19-YEAR-OLD ORLANDO HARRIS KILLED TWO PEOPLE AT CENTRAL VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL (CVPA) IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI IN OCTOBER 2022, POLICE RELEASED THEIR INVESTIGATIVE REPORT REVEALING HARRIS MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLES AND THAT THE MOTIVE WAS ANTI-LGBTQ.

ACCORDING TO THE REPORT, IN THE YEAR AND A HALF PRIOR TO THE SHOOTING, HARRIS CONTEMPLATED SUICIDE MULTIPLE TIMES AND ATTEMPTED THE ACT AT LEAST TWICE – THE FIRST TIME IN AUGUST 2021 AND THE SECOND TIME BETWEEN APRIL AND JUNE 2022.

HE WAS HOSPITALIZED SEVERAL TIMES FOR HIS STRUGGLES WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND REGULARLY SAW A THERAPIST.

HOWEVER, HE ENDED HIS THERAPY SESSIONS IN THE SUMMER OF 2022.

“AFTER HE WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL, ORLANDO H. ADVISED WARD THAT HE WAS NOT GOING BACK TO THE HOSPITAL AND STOPPED CONTACT WITH THE THERAPIST,” THE REPORT STATES.

HARRIS’ MOTHER, TANYA WARD, TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT A PACKAGE FROM “VARIOUS GUN AND AMMUNITION PLACES” ADDRESSED TO HER SON, ORLANDO HARRIS, ARRIVED TO THEIR HOME  JUST WEEKS BEFORE THE SHOOTING ON OCTOBER 15, 2022.

THE PACKAGES CONTAINED A BODY ARMOR VEST, MAGAZINE HOLSTERS AND MAGAZINES AND ORLANDO’S MOTHER CHECKED HIS BEDROOM AND FOUND AN AR RIFLE IN AN OLD TV BOX.

ORLANDO’S MOTHER THEN CALLED POLICE AND CRISIS INTERVENTION OFFICERS RESPONDED TO THE HOUSE.

“THE FAMILY CONTACTED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO OBTAIN ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT ORLANDO H.’S MENTAL ILLNESS AND FELT HE SHOULD NOT BE IN POSSESSION OF ANY FIREARMS,” THE REPORT STATES.

OFFICERS TOLD ORLANDO’S MOTHER THEY COULD NOT LEGALLY CONFISCATE THE GUN.

ORLANDO TOLD HIS MOTHER HE WORKED HARD TO SAVE UP FOR THE GUN – BUT APPEASED HIS MOTHER AND FAMILY, AGREEING TO PUT THE GUN AND TACTICAL GEAR IN A STORAGE FACILITY.

THE REPORT INCLUDES AN INTERVIEW WITH HARRIS’ PSYCHIATRIST WHO SAW HIM TWICE IN AUGUST 2022. HIS DOCTOR DESCRIBED ORLANDO AS HAVING SKEWED EXPECTATIONS OF HIMSELF AND “THOUGHT HE WAS A FAILURE AT EVERYTHING.”

SHE NOTED ORLANDO HAD LOST INTEREST IN HOBBIES, SUCH AS GAMING, IN 2021.

ORLANDO’S MOTHER ALSO SAID HE HAD ATTENDED THE CENTRAL VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL AND THE FIRST TWO YEARS WERE NORMAL BUT THAT HE QUICKLY LOST INTEREST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC.

HE GRADUATED FROM THE SCHOOL IN 2021. HE WAS SLATED TO ATTEND COLLEGE THAT FALL BUT HIS FAMILY AND FRIENDS SAID IN THE REPORT THAT HE WAS DEPRESSED.

THEN ON OCTOBER 24, 2022 ORLANDO ENTERED HIS FORMER SCHOOL AND DECLARED, “ALL OF YOU ARE GOING TO DIE.”

A 15-YEAR-OLD STUDENT AND HEALTH AND PE TEACHER WERE KILLED IN THE SHOOTING.

SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE WERE SHOT AND WOUNDED.

OFFICERS EVENTUALLY SHOT AND KILLED ORLANDO.

MISSOURI HAS NO “RED FLAG LAWS” IN PLACE WHICH ALLOW FOR THE TEMPORARY REMOVAL OF FIREARMS FROM INDIVIDUALS DEEMED TO POSE A RISK TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS.