16-year-old Brenda Spencer leaves court in Santa Ana, California, after pleading guilty to two counts of murder in a sniper attack. She killed two people and wounded nine others. 1979
The Grover Cleveland Elementary School shooting took place on January 29, 1979, at a public elementary school in San Diego, California, United States.
The principal and a custodian were killed; eight children and police officer Robert Robb were injured.
A 16-year-old girl, Brenda Spencer, who lived in a house across the street from the school, was convicted of the shootings.
Charged as an adult, she pleaded guilty to two counts of murder and assault with a deadly weapon, and was sentenced to life in prison with a chance of parole after 25 years.
A reporter reached Spencer by phone while she was still in the house after the shooting, and asked her why she had done it.
She reportedly answered: “I don’t like Mondays. This livens up the day.”
This is her now:
Theodore Lee is the editor of Caveman Circus. He strives for self-improvement in all areas of his life, except his candy consumption, where he remains a champion gummy worm enthusiast. When not writing about mindfulness or living in integrity, you can find him hiding giant bags of sour patch kids under the bed.