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December 2, 2008 10:40:07 AM CST

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NIU Shooter Delved Into Satanism

Posted Feb 17, 08 4:55 AM CST in US,  Crime & Courts 

(Newser) – The shooter in the NIU carnage that left five students dead last week began to exhibit troubling signs of mental illness as a high school student as he explored satanism and white-power movements, reports AP.  Steven Kazmierczak "started to identify more with hatred-type stuff," said a friend. His behavioral problems became so severe that he required mood-stabilizing drugs, and landed for a year in a psychiatric treatment center where he cut himself and resisted taking medication.

As an adult, he often exhibited an explosive temper and had a rocky relationship with his girlfriend. "He would push her around," said one acquaintance. Just months ago, Kazmierczak, 27, covered his arms in chilling tattoos inspired by the graphic Saw movies. The tattoo artist remembers him as "really mousy" but liked the images enough to take a photo for his store. "I don't know if I still want that picture on my wall," he said.

Sources: Chicago Sun-Times, Associated Press, Chicago Tribune

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This undated image obtained from a MySpace webpage shows Steven Kazmierczak, who was identified by Florida authorities and a university official familiar with the investigation as the gunman who killed...   (Associated Press)
This undated photo released by tattoo artist Jason Dunavan shows the right arm of NIU shooter Steven Kazmierczak with the a tattoo of a character from the movie "The Saw." It is one of three tattoos Kazmierczak...   (Associated Press)
This undated photo released by tattoo artist Jason Dunavan shows one of the tattoos on the left arm of NIU shooter Steven Kazmierczak. It is one of three tattoos Kazmierczak got in the last five to six...   (Associated Press)
This photo, supplied by Richard Grafer, shows Steven Kazmierczak at the time of his 8th grade graduation in 1994. Kazmierczak, armed with three handguns and a pump-action shotgun, stepped from behind...   (Associated Press)
Tattoo artist Jason Dunavan sits in his tattoo parlor Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008, in Champaign, Ill. Dunavan did five tattoos for NIU shooter Steven Kazmierczak and his girlfriend in the last five to six...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released Feb. 15, 2008, by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is Steven Kazmierczak who was identified by Florida authorities and a university official familiar with the investigation...   (Associated Press)
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school shooting • Northern Illinois University • Steven Kazmierczak • campus violence


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