On November 2, 2018, a mass shooting occurred at Tallahassee Hot Yoga, a yoga studio located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. The gunman, identified as Scott Paul Beierle, shot six women, two of them fatally, and pistol-whipped a man before killing himself.[2]
| 2018 Tallahassee shooting | |
|---|---|
  2018 Tallahassee shooting (Florida) | |
| Location | Hot Yoga Tallahassee 1950 Thomasville Rd Tallahassee, Florida, United States |
| Coordinates | 30°28′02″N 84°16′08″W / 30.4672°N 84.2690°W |
| Date | November 2, 2018 5:37 p.m. (UTC−04:00) |
| Target | Women |
Attack type | Mass shooting, murder–suicide, femicide |
| Weapons | 9mm Glock 17 Gen 5 semi-automatic pistol[1] |
| Deaths | 3 (including the perpetrator) |
| Injured | 5 (4 by gunfire, 1 by pistol-whipping) |
| Perpetrator | Scott Paul Beierle |
| Motive | Misogyny, revenge for sexual and social rejection |
Criminal investigators attested to the attacker's hatred of women. The US Secret Service and International Centre for Counter-Terrorism consider the attack an act of misogynist terrorism.[3][4]
Shooting
editScott Paul Beierle entered the hot yoga studio at 5:37 p.m. EDT on November 2, 2018, shooting six people, resulting in the deaths of two women, Maura Binkley, 21, and Dr. Nancy Van Vessem, 61.[2] Officers responded to reports of gunfire within three and a half minutes, at which point the perpetrator was found deceased.[5] Partygoers in a bar across the street told reporters how they witnessed people fleeing from the studio and that a man in a bloody white T-shirt who ran into the bar claimed to have charged the shooter only to be pistol whipped.[6] This claim was later backed up in interviews with survivors who stated that the male customer used a vacuum cleaner and then a broomstick to attack Beierle, which gave other students time to escape. Tallahassee Police Chief Michael DeLeo also credited the students who "fought back and tried not only to save themselves but other people".[7]
The yoga studio was a part of a plaza that is occupied by restaurants and other businesses. Those eating at the restaurant underneath the studio heard the gunshots and told reporters that the owner came through the dining area shortly after, asking if anyone was a doctor.[8]
Victims
editWhen officers arrived, it was discovered that six people had been shot during the attack. Two victims, Maura Binkley and Nancy Van Vessem, were deceased at the scene.[9] Maura Binkley, age 21, was a student at Florida State University, and due to graduate in 2019.[10] Dr. Nancy Van Vessem, age 61, was a doctor and the chief medical director for Capital Health Plan. She was also a faculty member at Florida State.[11]
Perpetrator
editScott Paul Beierle (October 6, 1978 – November 2, 2018)[12] was later revealed as the perpetrator by police. According to his social media profiles on Facebook and LinkedIn, Beierle was a military veteran and former teacher for the Anne Arundel County Public School System in Maryland, teaching both English and social studies at Meade High School and being affiliated with conservative groups FSU College Republicans and We Are Conservatives.[13][14][15] Additionally, Beierle has also taught at numerous other schools as a substitute teacher, yet only briefly due to performance issues and inappropriate behavior. In one instance, Beierle was fired for an incident where he reportedly asked a female student if she was "ticklish", while touching her "below the bra line" on her stomach.[16] He had been charged twice for battery, in 2012 and 2016, where he was accused of grabbing a woman's buttocks in both situations.[17]
YouTube videos posted by Beierle in 2014 showed that he identified with the involuntary celibate community while often complaining about his sexual rejections from women.[18] He also sympathized with the shooter behind the 2014 Isla Vista killings, Elliot Rodger, as he too felt lonely and unloved as well as posting misogynistic songs on SoundCloud. Other videos depicted him ranting about African-Americans, illegal immigration and interracial relationships.[19][20][21] One of the videos was named "Dangers of Diversity".[22]
The FBI and the Tallahassee Police Department attested to Beierle's hatred of women, saying he was "disturbed" during the shooting. They further noted he had planned the attack months in advance.[23] The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism lists the attack as an act of misogynist terrorism.[4]
Aftermath
editFlorida State University held a vigil for the victims of the shooting on November 4, while another series of tributes were planned for November 5 with the help of Tallahassee's Delta Delta Delta sorority chapter, of which victim Maura Binkley was a member.[24] Other tributes were published by the deceased's families and friends through social media.[25] On November 11, a candlelit vigil was held at Cascades Park. The day after the shooting, a yoga instructor of Hot Yoga Tallahassee led a yoga class for healing in the middle of Adams Street.[26][27] In 2019, Binkley's parents sued the yoga studio and property owner claiming both were negligent in providing adequate safety.[28]
Maura's Voice Research Fund (MVRF) at the Florida State University College of Social Work was established by Maura's parents, Jeff and Margaret Binkley, to honor her legacy and dedication to serving others. MVRF supports academic and legal research focused on hate crimes and prevention of violence against women and girls and is committed to effective practices and policy reforms.[29]
In 2022, the Secret Service's National Threat Assessment Center released a detailed case study of the shooting. The report says the attacker is typical of misogynist extremism or male supremacist violence. He was arrested for groping women, wrote violent songs about torturing women, and admired other mass killers who targeted women.[3][30]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Page 14 of 64
- ^ a b Kesbeh, Dina (November 3, 2018). "Gunman Kills 2, Wounds 5 Others At Florida Yoga Studio". NPR.org. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ a b Long, Colleen (March 15, 2022). "Secret Service study of yoga class shooting shows misogyny". AP News.
The shooting that left two women dead and wounded six others spotlights the growing concern posed by extremists with hatred toward women, according to a case study the U.S. Secret Service released Tuesday.
- ^ a b DiBranco, Alex (February 10, 2020). "Male Supremacist Terrorism as a Rising Threat". International Centre for Counter-Terrorism. The Hague. Archived from the original on April 20, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
- ^ "Florida yoga studio shooting: Two killed and four injured". BBC News. November 3, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ Zwirz, Elizabeth (November 2, 2018). "Florida yoga studio shooting leaves 3 dead, including suspect: reports". Fox News. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ Mosbergen, Dominique (November 5, 2018). "Yoga Studio Shooting Hero Attacked Gunman With A Vacuum Cleaner And Broomstick". Huffington Post. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
- ^ "Gunman in Tallahassee yoga studio slayings is from Deltona, police say". WESH. November 3, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ Andone, Dakin; Yan, Holly. "These are the victims of the Florida yoga studio shooting". CNN. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
- ^ White, Ashley. "Maura Binkley, victim in Florida yoga studio shooting, 'just wanted to help other people'". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
- ^ White, Ashley. "Florida yoga studio shooting victim Dr. Nancy Van Vessem worked to make community better". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved November 28, 2018.
- ^ Gathright, Jenny (November 4, 2018). "Gunman In Yoga Studio Attack Had A Criminal History, Posted Racist And Sexist Videos". NPR.org. Retrieved February 4, 2021.
- ^ Farrell, Paul (November 3, 2018). "Scott Beierle: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.
- ^ Ortiz, Jennifer (November 3, 2018). "Florida yoga studio shooter was former teacher in Anne Arundel Co". WTOP. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
- ^ D'Angelo, Bob (November 3, 2018). "Who was Scott Beierle, the shooter at the Tallahassee yoga shop?". Springfield News Sun. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ Sheets, Tess (November 6, 2018). "Tallahassee yoga gunman lost teacher job after touching student, asking if she was 'ticklish'". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 9, 2018.
- ^ "Yoga studio shooter had previous arrests for grabbing women". KOMO. Associated Press. November 3, 2018. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ Zaveri, Mihir; Jacobs, Julia; Mervosh, Sarah (November 3, 2018). "Gunman in Yoga Studio Shooting Recorded Misogynistic Videos and Faced Battery Charges". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 15, 2021. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
- ^ Mack, David; Jamieson, Amber; Reinstein, Julia (November 3, 2018). "The Tallahassee Yoga Shooter Was A Misogynist Who Railed Against Women and Minorities Online". Buzzfeed News.
- ^ Fineout, Gary (November 4, 2018). "Yoga shooter appeared to have made misogynistic videos". AP News. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ Silverstein, Jason (November 3, 2018). "Yoga studio gunman had history of arrests, posted misogynistic rants online". CBS News. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
- ^ Andone, Dakin; Moshtaghian, Artemis (November 4, 2018). "Gunman in Florida yoga studio shooting made misogynistic comments on YouTube, NYT reports". CNN.
- ^ Etters, Karl; Burlew, Jeff (February 12, 2019). "Tallahassee yoga studio shooting: TPD report reveals gunman planned 'horrific event' for months". Tallahassee Democrat.
- ^ "Vigil held at Florida State to honor lives lost in yoga studio shooting". WCTV Eyewitness News. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
- ^ Cullinane, Susannah; McLaughlin, Eliott C. (November 5, 2018). "Florida yoga studio shooter was arrested for groping women and trespassing on FSU campus". CNN. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
- ^ Hassanein, Nada (November 9, 2018). "'Hope, Healing, Harmony': Vigil for yoga studio shooting victims set for Sunday at Cascades". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^ Ceballos, Ana (November 3, 2018). "'Today we hug': Yoga community comes together after deadly Tallahassee shooting at studio". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^ Etters, Karl (June 26, 2019). "Parents of Hot Yoga shooting victim Maura Binkley sue studio, Betton Place property owner". Tallahassee Democrat.
- ^ "Maura's Voice Research Fund | College of Social Work". csw.fsu.edu. Retrieved September 23, 2024.
- ^ United States Secret Service National Threat Assessment Center (March 2022). Hot Yoga Tallahassee: a Case Study of Misogynistic Extremism (Report). Department of Homeland Security.