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 Linda Thomas
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JakeRoberts.jpg
This photo, uploaded to Facebook in October, is the cover image on Jake Roberts profile page. Police say Roberts killed two people in the Clackamas Town Center on Tuesday while wearing the mask and black clothing, and carrying an AR-15 semiautomatic weapon and "several" magazines full of ammunition. (Facebook photo)

Oregon mall shooter writes on Facebook, 'I have lived one crazy life'

December 12, 2012 @ 5:18 pm (Updated: 8:18 am - 12/13/12 )

The Oregon mall shooter described himself as "a bit of an adrenaline junkie," and "the kind of person that is going to do what I want" on his Facebook page.

Police are talking trying to figure out why Jacob Roberts, 22, stole a semiautomatic weapon, donned a hockey mask and stormed into the Clackamas Town Center killing two people, wounding others and then killing himself.

His Facebook page includes a cover photo - which users choose generally to represent where they live or something that's important to them - with the words "Follow Your Dreams" covered by a red "Cancelled" sign.

One of the public photos Roberts posted shows someone shooting a gun in an outdoor target practice area. Another is of someone in a gorilla suit, and the rest are the kind of photos you'd see on the Facebook page of anyone in their 20s. He had 104 friends, and listed his status as being "in a relationship" although his former girlfriend says the broke up this summer.

Here's the bio Roberts wrote:

Hey what's up guys my names Jake and I'm an alcoholic... Lol just kidding. If you were to ask someone that knows me they would probably say that I am a pretty funny person that takes sarcasm to the max. I'm the kind of person that is going to do what I want. There is no reason for another person to tell you what to do, I'm the conductor of my choo choo train. I may be young but I have lived one crazy life so far. My friends are my family and I don't think that will ever change. I have done a lot for myself in the past year some good and some bad but I still press on. I like hanging out with my friends and having a good time maybe get a little drunk every now and then. I like to think of myself as a bit of an adrenaline junkie... Yup that's right I'm a junkie lol. But I'm just looking to meet new people and see the world. Right now I work at the most badass gyro shop in town. I am one of the few people that can say I love my job and actually mean it. But if you want to know more about me send me a message. What's up let's party.

Friends say Roberts liked to joke around, but changed in the week before the shooting and seemed "distant."

Roberts quit his job at a gyro shop in downtown Portland, sold all of his belongings, and planned to move to Hawaii.

He told some friends he'd already purchased an airline ticket, but he told his former girlfriend that he missed his flight last Saturday.

Police are still seeking information about what Roberts was doing in the days leading up to the shooting.

Authorities with the Clackamas County Sheriff believe Roberts went into the mall with the goal of killing as many people as he could.

Why? They don't know.

Roberts' mother released a statement saying she had no explanation of her son's behavior. Robert's biological mother died when he was young. Tami Roberts raised him.

"Tami Roberts wishes to express her shock and grief at the events," a friend told reporters in Portland. "She has no understanding or explanation for her son's behavior. It's so out of his character."

His Facebook page indicates Roberts graduated from Oregon City High School in 2008.

Teachers there described him as soft spoken, polite, and helpful.

He also went to Milwaukie High School, in Oregon, and the principal there describes him as an average student with average grades.

Although it's unusual to change high schools before senior year, there was no disciplinary record regarding Roberts.

Police records show Roberts had two speeding tickets earlier this year. His Oregon driver's license was suspended this year, according to Oregon Department of Motor Vehicle records. He held a commercial driver's license which was also suspended.

One of the gunman's victims was Cindy Yuille, 54, a hospice nurse described as someone who loved the outdoors and rarely visited shopping malls.

The other victim was 45-year-old Steve Forsyth. He had a marketing business and friends say he was a role model, full of energy and "a hero to a lot of people."

A teenager who was shot, Kristina Shevchenko, remains in stable but serious condition.

By LINDA THOMAS

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Comments (12)


  • Add A Comment

  • Eta Huinya wrote...
    "My friends are my family and I don't think that will ever change."
    December 12, 2012 7:35 pm
    These are some very telling words that offer an insight into how he perceived the world. The sad truth of today's America is that our children are raising themselves and each other. Both parents are too busy working to fulfill their parental role and obligations and think that making more money makes up for that. The parents never really get to know their children, their children never really get to know or respect their parents, and young minds get permanently confused and damaged. Our society has lost its way in its all consuming need and lust for the almighty dollar.
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  • lazarusrose wrote...
    sounds like
    December 13, 2012 12:43 am
    almost every single bio ive ever read on facebook. just shows you its completely possible for "normal" people to just lose it one day, have their grasp on life just fall apart. its sad but i think the 2 lines of "doing what he wants" and "is an adrenaline junkie" is being taken out of context in order to try and give some explanation to something completely inexplicable. sorry for all 3 family's losses, and hope the other girl pulls through
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  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Be slow to project this madman's illness onto the rest of society....
    December 13, 2012 7:32 am
    When we start looking at society in general while trying to place "blame" for a tragedy like this, we run the risk of making at least two serious errors. The first error is often that we assume whatever we personally believe is "wrong with society" (too many liberals, too many conservatives, too many drugs, too much welfare, not enough welfare, too many guns, not enough guns,etc) must, of course, be the underlying cause of the maniacal rampage and carnage.

    The second error is in some ways more serious than the first. We overlook the fact that despite the number of liberals or conservatives, the relative availability of drugs, however many may be on the welfare roles, and whether it is too easy or not easy enough to get a handgun a lot of good, wonderful, and beautiful things happen every day.

    Ultimately, there are madmen among us. There always will be. It is entirely proper to be appalled when they strike and to mourn the untimely death of their victims. We should be slow to assume that if a fraction of one percent of us are extremely sick there exists an epidemic.

    Had this kid been raised in a different city, by different people, in a different economy, and with different social values he may very well have turned out the same.

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  • The Dude Abides wrote...
    SG
    December 13, 2012 1:22 pm
    We may not always agree, but your words ring true in this case. There is a minute percentage of our population who are destined to follow a path to destruction, regardless of their upbringing. Not all of the crazies have to have some equally crazy "batman supervillain" life story to be crazy. As Freud so succinctly put it many years ago, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." In this case, sometimes a whackjob is just a whackjob.
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  • Newton wrote...
    Anytime you have a situation like this.
    December 13, 2012 8:05 am
    Parents are suspect. Do they belong to a satanic cult. Often what goes on behinde the scene is wilder then the act its self. Many examples. One is the Denver batman movie once looked at his handlers and back ground the media shut it down. Why because it was staged. Because they want you to give up your guns. Thugs love and unarmed public.
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  • The Dude Abides wrote...
    Newton
    December 13, 2012 1:30 pm
    You're a troll and an idiot who can't spell or correctly form coherent sentences. Perhaps you should stick to posting your opinions on instagram, where people don't have to actually read your opinion.
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  • GetReal4me wrote...
    I wonder
    December 13, 2012 8:33 am
    Could it be this kid with his addrenaline junkie attitude decided to try a drug and got addicted and it made him want to do even crazier things? To me it would seem that only after an adrenaline junkie had done and tried everything for a high, he would try something like this -- unless he had some kind of death wish. Maybe he was the kind of person that didn't think out all the consequences either so he just did it and thought "what will be will be". Sad that he didn't give more thought about others -- just about his own wants -- what he wanted to do at the moment. A couple of good people had to die because of his evil mindset. Please if you know a teen -- any teen -- be a mentor, a friend, a role model. Isn't there a saying - "it takes a village to raise a child". This is a result of society and where we are all placing our values -- and our values need to be putting the children first, not ourselves. Remember children don't care about how much money you make, all they want is your love and attention. That is if you don't spoil them with all the worldly goods. Kind of like when you have a pet, if you get a dog and then another dog to play with it, do you think it will be more bonded to you or the other dog? Something to think about.
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  • sportsguru wrote...
    Amazing
    December 13, 2012 10:00 am

    How a 22 year old consider's himself to have lived a crazy life? The boy still have similac on his mouth and act like he has lived a LIFE?

    We now live in a society were kids think they are entitled to something and if they don't realize that entitlement right away, they have nothing to live for at 22?

    I failed at a host of things by the age of 22 and at no point did I think my life and dreams was over.

    As a father of 2 boys and one that is 21, none of them have a plan b or c, they put all of there hopes in there first plan and if that plan doesn't materialize or have some type of set back, WHAT DO I DO NEXT,LOL?

    I also have a problem were every time a kid does something wrong, it's the parents fault, kids now days have more rights then I ever had as a kid, they are indoctrinated in the public schools of these rights and that they have choice's outside of the home and kids understand this and make choices with this understanding even with guidance from BOTH parents in the home.

    Additionally, another poster made a great point, most people have to have two income households to live a middle class lifestyle, I know I have a two income household and have to juggle work and family, I think most families have to juggle more than my parents did back in the day, I just think automatically blaming the parents doesn't get to the core issue on what went wrong with this young kid.

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  • mnpat wrote...
    I'm sorry but my feelings go to those that were victims...
    December 13, 2012 10:34 am
    Not sure we will ever to determine why people do atrocious things and wish the media would focus on the good people not the bad.
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  • kurtthekraut wrote...
    Sad to Say......
    December 14, 2012 8:11 am
    But the media will NEVER focus on the good and will ALWAYS focus on the bad. There is no money to be made focusing on the good. They are better off pumping us full of fear and keeping us in our homes...in front of the TV consuming useless products.
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