Before Pennsylvania man Randy Stair committed murder and suicide at a Weis grocery store in Tunkhannock where he was employed on Thursday, he created a series of disturbing videos predicting his violent spree. In some of the videos, he and a cartoon character he created massacred high school students. In others, he created diary videos where he talked about his plans to kill others before committing suicide.
In April, Stair, 24, uploaded a video diary where he talked about his plans to kill himself on Sept. 7 using a new shotgun he had acquired. The video continued with Stair expressing his love for a cartoon character he created named "Mackenzie," and explained that she will be with him as he is committing suicide.
Later in the video, Stair expressed his desire to shoot up a supermarket, and explains that things would likely go wrong based on his bad luck.
"I knew full well [a supermarket shooting] wouldn't happen," Stair said. "Something would go wrong. My gun would jam, I'd get taken out, disarmed, neutralized, etc."
Stair went on to say that if he did attempt to commit mass murder at the supermarket, he wouldn't be able to kill more than three people. He also mentions that it would be very easy to accomplish during the night shift. He goes on to say that he would want to shoot up a supermarket, but he wouldn't want to die in there, preferring instead to die around his "girls," meaning the animated characters he created.
He also expressed a desire to kill his boss, though he confessed that he didn't dislike his boss.
"I just want to kill people. Doesn't matter who it is," Stair said into the camera.
Stair then expressed his wish for his family to suffer because of the publicity from his murders and subsequent suicide, expressing intense hatred for his father in particular.
Warning: This video contains vulgar language, and disturbing subjects.
Stair also had a YouTube channel where he went by the alias Andrew Blaze. His channel, called Ember's Ghost Squad — due to his apparent obsession with “Ember McLain” from the Nickelodeon series Danny Phantom — featured a series of animated shorts often depicting depressing themes, murder, and suicide.
In a 42-minute video — that now appears to have been removed by YouTube for violating community policy for graphic content — titled "The Westborough High Massacre (EGS) / Goodbye," Stair began the video with text angrily referring to people who had said they would help him with the upcoming animated video but apparently did not. Stair spent a few more paragraphs wishing harm on the animators who did not help him as he laments his unfinished work.
After this, Stair depicted himself preparing for his murder spree by loading two pistol grip shotguns, and strapping on an ammo bag before hitting the door. After this, the video featured an animation of him and "Mackenzie" massacring students at a school as they beg for their lives. All the while, animated characters are playing music over the carnage. The video then cut to Stair himself in the real world practicing with his shotgun. The animation ends with both the animated versions of Stair, and Mackenzie dead.
According to Heat Street, Stair claimed to be transgendered, allegedly discovering that he was a girl after seeing the Ember character from Danny Phantom. Stair calls the Ember character his "first crush," and his "final demise."
“I’ve always been a girl that I wish I could’ve told you from day one. I didn’t realize that until I discovered Ember. She was what brought that out in me. I didn’t just wake up one day and be like ‘oh I’m a girl, great.’ Ember’s what brought that out in me. I wanted to look like her, I wanted to dress like her, I wanted to be her. That was in like 10th grade. She was my first crush and she ultimately was my final demise.”
Heat Street reported that Stair said he didn't believe in a God, but he did believe in a "goddess." Stair reportedly considered this goddess to be the Ember character.
Stair reportedly also hated non-whites, gays, and men, according to Heat Street.
