Fla. School Board Shooting (VIDEO): Clay Duke Had Date Marked On Calendar, Say Police
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (CBS/AP) Florida police believe Clay Duke, the 56-year-old ex-convict who shot point-blank at school board members before fatally shooting himself, planned the attack, based on finding the date Dec. 14 circled on a calendar in his mobile home.
PICTURES: Fla. School Board Shooting
The shooting at the Bay District board meeting Tuesday was not "a spur of the moment thing," Panama City Police Chief John Van Etten told The Associated Press. Police also found anti-government paraphernalia at Duke's home, but the chief did not disclose any details of those items.
"He was obviously was not happy with our government," said Van Etten.
Video from Tuesday's meeting shows Duke rising from his seat, spray-painting a red V on the wall, then waving a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun and ordering everyone to leave the room except the men on the board.
Duke complained about taxes and his wife being fired from the northern Florida district before opening fire at close range as the superintendent begged, "Please don't."
"It could have been a monumental tragedy," Superintendent Bill Husfelt said. "God was standing in front of me and I will go to my grave believing that."
Duke shot twice at Husfelt from approximately 8 feet away and fired several more rounds before district security chief Mike Jones bolted in and, after exchanging at least 14 shots, hit Duke four times. Duke then fatally shot himself, police Sgt. Jeff Becker said. Somehow, no one else who remained in the small board room was injured.
In October 1999, Duke was charged with aggravated stalking, shooting or throwing a missile into a building or vehicle and obstructing justice, according to state records. He was convicted and sentenced in January 2000 to five years in prison, and was released in 2004.MORE ON CRIMESIDERDecember 15, 2010 - Fla. School Board Shooting Video: Shooter Clay Duke Left Facebook Suicide Note
December 15, 2010 - Fla. School Board Shooting Video: Clay Duke Ignored Pleas, Opened FireDecember 14, 2010 - Gunman Opens Fire at Bay District School Board Meeting in Florida