Accused Transgender School Shooter Reveals Motive Was Revenge Against Those Who Considered Him ‘Disgusting’

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Jun 21, 2019

Alec McKinney, a 16-year-old transgender boy who is accused of committing a mass shooting at the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) School in Highlands Ranch, CO last month, has revealed his motive in court. He wanted to make cisgendered students pay for judging him and his lifestyle choice, according to court documents.

McKinney, who is in the pre-op phase of transitioning to be a man, said to police that he recruited his accomplice, Devon Erickson, 18, to help carry out the heinous acts that took the life of one student and severely injured eight others.

Revenge was an apparent part of McKinney’s motive for allegedly committing the shooting, as at least one individual was targeted because they “called him names and said he was disgusting for trying to be a guy,” according to the affidavit that was released on Thursday after court documents were unsealed by Douglas County District Judge Theresa Slade.

McKinney said he wanted to make others who were normal “experience bad things [and] to suffer from trauma like he has had to in his life and to realize that the world is a bad place,” according to court documents. He fired two handguns in a classroom until the firearms were emptied, police said.

The affidavit states that his accomplice was reticent about committing the mass murder, as Erickson claims that he was “in shock and stated that he didn’t want anyone to get shot.” He claims he was threatened by McKinney into being his accomplice.

“Devin told [McKinney] a few weeks prior that he parents owned guns and they were locked in a safe,” investigators said.

According to a probable cause statement: “Devon repeatedly claimed he was going to stop [McKinney] but couldn’t articulate how or why he never told an adult.”

McKinney allegedly wanted to commit suicide after finishing the slaying, but failed to remove the safety mechanism on the gun he left the classroom with. He admits hat she did in fact threaten his accomplice with an ax to get access to Erickson’s parents’ firearms.

The alleged shooters used cocaine and set Erickson’s mother’s car ablaze after spray painting the vehicle before heading off to the STEM school on that fateful day.

Kendrick Castillo, 18, was the man who died as a result of their alleged rampage. He charged the shooters and potentially saved many lives as a result of his display of heroism.

McKinney’s father has been revealed to be illegal alien Jose Evis Quintana who has a rap sheet including charges such as domestic violence and menacing with a weapon. McKinney’s lawyers are trying to get him charged in juvenile court for added leniency, as the trial continues.

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