INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Authors: Jordan
Before he settled into
brush with a pistol and took aim at passing cars on a Georgia highway, Rex Whitmire Harbour wrote about his admiration for the Parkland
gunman who killed 17 people in February.But the outcome was different for Harbour
He wounded three passing motorists in Gainesville on Friday with semiautomatic pistol fire before deputies pursued him in a high-speed
chase, ending with Harbour's self-inflicted gunshot to the head while his car was still in motion.Harbour, a 26-year-old landscaper, died
during a helicopter flight to a hospital
Two people were struck by gunfire in the town about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta
A third motorist was struck by broken windshield glass, though authorities said those injuries were not life-threatening.Hall County Sheriff
Gerald Couch told reporters Saturday that a search of Harbour's belongings revealed handwritten documents praising the Parkland killer,
calling him a "hero" who gave him "courage and confidence."Those revelations were disturbing and "hate-filled," Couch said.Investigators
recovered an arms cache from the 2003 Buick Century driven by Harbour, including three 9mm semiautomatic pistols, a .22-caliber bolt-action
rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and more than 3,400 rounds of ammunition that was mostly for the rifle, Couch said.The victims were all struck by
pistol fire, and authorities said they think it was the only weapon Harbour fired
A total of seven cars were struck by gunfire, authorities said.Couch recounted the brief but terrifying few moments along Highway 365
A woman called 911 to report that her husband was shot while driving 12 minutes before noon, and other calls of gunfire hitting vehicles
soon flooded in.A deputy questioning one victim saw Harbour's beige Buick pull out, and ran toward it with a gun drawn
Harbour saw the deputy and sped away.The pursuit by deputies and Georgia State Patrol was brief, with speeds up to 80 mph
Harbour put a pistol to his head and pulled the trigger while the car was still moving
It continued on a driverless path for "quite some distance" before coming to a stop, Couch said.A dash camera recorded the shooting, he
said.Harbour's firing position alongside the road was probably chosen because it was isolated and concealed, authorities said
But a coincidence led them to detail his movements before authorities arrived
A trail camera strapped to a tree, probably left by a hunter to document paths of movement of game such as deer, was nearby and took photos
of Harbour readying his position.He wore two pistol holsters at that moment, Couch said
Authorities recovered 17 shell casings at the scene.Couch said the gunman had no history of criminal or notable behavior
His mother told authorities that Harbour was "mild-mannered and quiet."Harbour's motive was unclear, authorities said, but Couch speculated
that it was notoriety."He had the weapons, he had the ammunition, and obviously he had the will to inflict a lot of pain and a lot of hate,"
Couch said.(This story has not been edited by TheIndianSubcontinent staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
