Some may take umbrage with my assertion, but I would propose that the human female is the most complex organism in the known universe. Stealth bombers, robot Mars rovers, and quantum computers don’t even come close. After a literal lifetime of study I can honestly say that I have no idea what makes girls tick. I am deeply thankful for the fairer half of the human population, but I will never consider myself an expert in the field of female relations. My wife would likely rate me a solid marginal. I think I should get an “A” for effort.
Despite whatever challenges I might have interacting with women, Marc Lépine was far worse. Born in 1964 as Gamil Rodrigue Liass Gharbi in Montreal, Quebec, Marc was the son of an Algerian immigrant named Rachid Liass Gharbi and Canadian nurse Monique Lépine. He had one younger sister named Nadia. For a variety of very good reasons, Marc had daddy issues.
Monique was a former Catholic nun who rejected all religion after leaving the convent. Rachid was a non-pious Muslim. Mom later described Marc as “a confirmed atheist all his life.” Rachid started running around on Monique while on business trips, and things spiraled from there.
Rachid was a vile, violent, overbearing man who physically abused both his wife and his kids. He and Monique divorced, but things didn’t get much better. Rachid defaulted on his mortgage, and the family lost their home and most of their possessions. When he came of age Gamil Rodrigue Liass Gharbi changed his named to Marc Lépine to spite his reprobate father.
In his youth, Marc was described as reserved, quiet, and uncommunicative. His sister Nadia mocked him mercilessly in public over both his acne and his inability to secure a girlfriend. This precipitated a deep-seeded hatred. Marc once dug a faux grave for her in the backyard of the house where they were staying. He was thrilled when she was remanded to a group home for drug abuse and chronic delinquency. Nadia died of a cocaine overdose in 1996 at age 28.
To make things worse, there were rumors that Marc might have been molested as part of a Big Brother after-school program. Along the way he acquired an air rifle and slaughtered pigeons wholesale in the neighborhood where he lived. He developed a fascination with World War 2 and openly praised Adolf Hitler. In 1981 at age 17 Marc applied for a position as an officer cadet in the Canadian military but was rejected. A subsequent statement from the Canadian Army explained that he was “interviewed, assessed, and found to be unsuitable.”
So here we have a kid with some suboptimal raw material raised in some of the most ghastly conditions imaginable. He hated his family and distrusted most everybody else. All the male figures in his life were beastly animals, while the women were abusive and distant. This was the perfect milieu to precipitate Something Truly Horrible.
The Setting
Bless his heart, Marc tried to make something of himself. He attended a variety of technical schools wherein his academic performance ranged from exemplary to absent with everything in between. By the late 1980’s he had set his sights on École Polytechnique, a respected engineering school in Montreal.
Marc had to complete a couple of classes to qualify for admission, and he pursued these prerequisites in fits and starts. During a 1989 meeting with an admissions officer, Marc complained that women were taking over the job market, displacing men from their more traditional roles. He was particularly bitter about female engineers and police officers. Somewhere along the way, Marc Lépine just snapped.
Lépine planned his vengeance over a period of months. In August of 1989 he made formal application for a permit to purchase a Ruger Mini-14 semiautomatic rifle. His application was approved in October of that year. He actually purchased the gun on November 21, 1989, from a local sporting goods store. This should address any lingering doubts you might have had concerning the effectiveness of waiting periods.
The Shootings
On December 6, 1989, Marc Lépine walked into a second-floor classroom of the École Polytechnique with his Mini-14. He methodically segregated the men from the women and directed the roughly fifty male students to leave. Once he had thusly winnowed the crowd he opened fire, killing six women and wounding the rest. Before leaving the room to continue his rampage he took a moment to scrawl a scatological reference across one of the female student’s project depicting his displeasure with its quality.
Lépine then went mobile, wandering the halls, classrooms, and cafeteria shooting mostly women but a few men as well. His 14th and final victim was wounded and cried out for help. In response, Lépine stabbed her to death with his hunting knife before turning the rifle on himself. The entire ghastly attack spanned some twenty minutes. In addition to the fifteen dead, there were another fourteen who were badly injured. Lépine was 25 at the time.
The Suicide Letter
Lépine left behind a suicide note written in French. Here are a few excerpts drawn from the translation—
Forgive the mistakes, I had 15 minutes to write this. See also Annex.
Please note that if I commit suicide today 89-12-06 it is not for economic reasons (for I have waited until I exhausted all my financial means, even refusing jobs) but for political reasons. Because I have decided to send the feminists, who have always ruined my life, to their Maker…I tried in my youth to enter the Forces as an officer cadet, which would have allowed me possibly to get into the arsenal…They refused me because asocial [sic]. I therefore had to wait until this day to execute my plans. In between, I continued my studies in a haphazard way for they never really interested me, knowing in advance my fate…Even if the Mad Killer epithet will be attributed to me by the media, I consider myself a rational erudite that only the arrival of the Grim Reaper has forced to take extreme acts…Being rather backward-looking by nature (except for science), the feminists have always enraged me. They want to keep the advantages of women (e.g. cheaper insurance, extended maternity leave preceded by a preventative leave, etc.) while seizing for themselves those of men.
Thus it is an obvious truth that if the Olympic Games removed the Men-Women distinction, there would be women only in the graceful events. So the feminists are not fighting to remove that barrier. They are so opportunistic they [do not] neglect to profit from the knowledge accumulated by men through the ages. They always try to misrepresent them every time they can. Thus, the other day, I heard they were honoring the Canadian men and women who fought at the frontline during the world wars. How can you explain [that since] women were not authorized to go to the frontline??? Will we hear of Caesar’s female legions and female galley slaves who of course took up 50% of the ranks of history, though they never existed. A real Casus Belli.
Sorry for this too brief letter.
Marc Lépine
It’s Will again now–Wow. That guy was a piece of work.
The Gun
The Ruger Mini-14 was developed by James Sullivan, one of the original designers of the AR15, and Bill Ruger. Introduced in 1973, the Mini-14 was a scaled-down .223 version of the M14 battle rifle. While the two weapons are intentionally similar externally, their operating systems remain quite different.
The Mini-14 is offered in a variety of configurations in both stainless and blued finishes. This gas-operated rifle feeds from detachable box magazines and could be had from the factory with both fixed and folding stocks. The Mini-14 is one of the most widely accessorized firearms ever produced, and it remains in production today. In the hands of sensible folk it is a reliable utility tool.
The Aftermath
Psychiatrists have pored over the details of Lépine’s case, attributing his psychopathy to a broad spectrum of influences ranging from genetic to political. They affixed a variety of psychiatric diagnoses to the man in retrospect. Some of the labels include personality disorders, “extreme narcissistic vulnerability,” and fantasies of power combined with excessive self-criticism. It has been postulated that he had suffered brain damage at some point. Some delusional commentator even claimed that Lépine’s egregious behavior was simply the result of having been raised in poverty. Were that the case you would expect places like Burundi and Niger to be populated solely by serial killers.
There are 440 million firearms in America. Marc Lépine invested four months obtaining his gun through legal channels. In modern-day America it is not humanly possible to prevent monsters like this guy from obtaining the tools they want to commit their heinous crimes.
I don’t carry a gun every day because I am paranoid or insecure. I carry a gun because my family and I share the planet with homicidal lunatics like Marc Lépine. If you feel differently then good for you. Do whatever you want, just leave me alone to make my own choices. There was exactly one thing that could have stopped Marc Lépine on that horrible day in 1989, and it wasn’t some ill-conceived piece of feel-good legislation. It was a good guy with a gun.
A couple anti-firearm, anti 2A comments here. I read them over a couple times and it confirms what I have seen evident in all comments along these line, the writers are totally ignorant of how, where and why 2A was penned, and what being able to protect your self is all about. No law enforcement agency on this planet is responsible to protect your life, your family, or your home. In the US, even the Supreme Court made this ruling decades ago. It is all up to you, and the fact that the law and politicians make you the criminal when you do so is even more of an insult to intelligence and Constitutional Rights. To apply the logic of removing all guns from everyone to stop shootings, first the criminal will always find a way, but apply that logic to the removal of all homosexuals to get rid of HIV, all alcohol to get rid of alcoholism and drunk driving, get rid of cars to get rid of car wrecks, the list goes on, but it all is the same logic as removing all firearms to stop whatever you fear.
I am sorry. But a classroom of military age healthy young males let one dink take control? I wasnt raised that way. Fight- with your bare hands if thats all you have. But fight.
They were Frenchies… What did you expect?
The only way to stop any shooting( because many or most humans can’t be trusted )is to not let anyone have them…period.. guns are made for killing…period…now that we ALL have them…well….you reap what you sow….TRUTH
Ever notice that misanthropes like “Bones” hate and disparage the common man and women while pretending to want to save the soiled masses?
Yeah, must be a drag to have to climb up on that high horse daily.
Bones never explains why all governments with the blood drenched annuals history should be trusted with firearms.
Truth?
So, by YOUR ‘logic’, if there were no guns, there would be no killings?
Boy, are you just stupid?
Oh look, another anti-gun troll like blue dog the HMO. Why don’t you go back to DU.
Excellent article, Will. Yours is always the first article I look for every week. I share your sentiments/fascination with the fairer sex… but must also admit they’ve been the greatest source of heartbreak and consternation in my several years (my Lovely Bride excluded, of course)! I would myself, have selected a different picture for your first exhibit. IMHO… nose rings are for cattle. Note that the beautiful young officer pictured has no bling whatsoever, dangling from her for some asshole perp to grab.
My experience with “The Gun”:
During my years as an officer, the first rifles (carbines) we were issued were surplus mini-14s courtesy of the National Guard. I can’t speak to their history before we received them, but they were altogether and entirely unsuitable for anything other than decoration. I fitted a low power optic to mine, and went to the bench. It was difficult to place rounds in a pie plate at 100 yards! Other officers who took the time to try their own Mini-14s, reported similar results. I put mine in the safe and left it there, never once having it available for duty. In due time, we were issued Bushmasters with 14″ barrels. I shot MUCH tighter groups with the little AR using the factory sights, than were possible with the scoped Ruger. Everyone else’s mileage may vary of course, but I know folks with factory new Mini-14s that have been disappointed with their accuracy (precision).
I have several Ruger long guns that I really like… but the only one that exhibits bench level accuracy is the lowly 10-22.
I’m sorry, but the national guard has never issued mini-14s, ever.
You may be absolutely right, Richard… but there were at least some available to the Mississippi National Guard. They themselves may have received them as surplus rifles from elsewhere. A fellow officer was a guardsman who used them on the range with the guard. We were told that the rifles we got came from the guard, but we were often given incorrect information. They may have came from the Bureau of Prisons, some other corrections department, or any one of a number of alphabet agencies. That’s really beside the point. They couldn’t hit the side of a barn. As stated earlier, YMMV. Thanks for the info.
I’m not sure why anyone takes a paper clip to a gun fight, but that is exactly what those who think they are supporters of the right to keep and bear arms do.
I don’t agree on your take of carrying a gun for self-defense. I would much rather that we enforce the Law as it was written and practiced prior to the ignorant rants of the so-called pro-gun people, and the evil that wants us disarmed.
The Laws of this Union require, do you understand the word REQUIRES Mr. Dabbs? The Laws emphatically state that all able-bodied men go armed at all times. It is not a “theory” as the foolish pro-gun people espouse. It is a fact of Law. The Law is in the U.S. Constitution, it is in state constitutions, and it is spelled out in federal and state statutes that are hundreds of years old.
Let’s throw off the bravado, and make the record straight. The reason why the pretend pro-2nd community flees from the term militia is ignorance, and unfortunately ambivalence. The People themselves let militia die because they didn’t want to be bothered with serving in an organization that required them to train and be available to perform a duty. They adhere to the ignorant foolishness that has no historical or legal basis that only people in militia can own a firearm. What the heck do you people think the duty of militia is? It is to protect all our rights, hold government in check, and make our streets free from harm.
Militia would make corrupt politicians accountable for the many misdeeds they now perform. It would, by its nature prevent such things as mass shootings because the community would have first hand knowledge of those who pose a threat.
We have left the duty that the Constitution commands to agencies that are run by the institutions that the Founders warned would usurp the Rule of Law. Why the heck Mr. Dobbs, do you think the Framers placed Militia in such high authority?
While I am all about my God-given, Constitutionally-enshrined RIGHT to bear arms, there’s absolutely nothing in the US Constitution that REQUIRES anyone to be “go armed at all times”. There are Constitutional provisions which allow the Federal government to raise and maintain standing armed forces.
You seem to be hung up on the term “militia”, so I assume you’re conflating the First/Second Militia Act of 1792, and the Militia Act of 1795… with the Constitution. The early acts were repealed by the Militia Act of 1903, which established the National Guard. The 2nd Militia Act of 1792 did reference ” free able-bodied white male citizens” … which is where I guess you’re getting your term of “able-bodied men”. You left out “free”, “white”, and “citizen”. (The Militia Act of 1862 did permit African Americans to serve). There was a requirement to POSSESS arms in the 2nd Militia Act of 1792 but no requirement to “go armed at all times”.
Additionally, you might really want to be careful trying to tie the freedom to bear arms with any military definition of what constitutes “able-bodied”. Fully 71% of men between the ages of 18 & 45 do NOT meet the requirements for military service in ANY branch of the Armed Services. This includes the National Guard and the Coast Guard. Unless you meet every single requirement for military service… “You ain’t able-bodied!”
SO, Nick… Unless you can quote the sections of the Constitution or the Federal law to which you are referring, please don’t make such bold claims.
Great comment by Frank but Nicholas is if nothing else convinced of the importance of the term militia. Still, he never explains how he integrates his militia service with his right guarateed under the 2A.
Once again great article. Thank you
Will,
Nice piece on that last pic. WC EDC X9? I wouldn’t mss a single article of yours if I could help it!
Mack Hicks
Therein lies the real issue. The pols have decreed that “vigilantism” will occur if the general populace is armed, especially during an emergency. I saw and heard that during a discussion at the local municipal town hall meeting to remove the reference to the prohibition of firearms from the Town Ordinance covering emergency declarations. The Council had no choice, the state pre-empted them. Further, while traveling in NY or Mass., a non-resident is at the mercy of the pols. And there would be no recourse if injury or death occurs! Declared sovereignty by the state! Coupled with defunding the police, I see it as a communist conspiracy even though some of the population don’t see the connection due to the lack of history taught in government schools. By the way, laws do not prevent the bad guys (and gals) from having guns or the means to get them. Where does that leave us? Defenseless!