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William Spengler and the Strain Theory
Mohammad Gilani
Humber College

PFP 201
Amanda Scala
Monday, March 25, 2013

William Spengler and the Strain Theory

William Spengler Jr. killed two firefighters and severely injured 2 other firefighters and a police officer. Police later found that he was also associated with other crimes. Police say that they could not find a motive for his actions, but General Strain theory provides some suggestions as to why William Spengler would commit the crimes that he has committed. This essay will talk about the full William Spengler’s case, General Strain Theory and how it relates to the case.
William Spengler Jr. was a 62 year old Caucasian male, who opened fired at four volunteer firefighters and one off-duty police officer; which as a result caused the deaths of the two firemen and severe injuries to the others. This tragedy took place in Webster, where William Spengler lived in a house with his 67-year-old sister Cheryle Spengler on 191 Lake Road near Lake Ontario. Spengler allured the firefighters to his house by setting the house and his car on fire on Christmas Eve. After setting the house and car on fire, Spengler went on top of a hill and waited for the firefighters to arrive. Spengler was fully equipped with three deadly weapons; pump-action shotgun, .38-caliber revolver and a .223-caliber Bushmaster rifle, with ammunition for all the weapons. Chief Pickering described him as being, “equipped to go to war, kill innocent people.” However, even though Spengler brought a shotgun and a revolver, he only used the assault rifle to open fire at the first volunteer firefighters, Lt. Michael Chiaperini, 43, and Tomasz Kaczowka, 19, who arrived at 5:30 am. The two firefighters died while the other two wounded firefighters, Theodore Scardino and Joseph Hofsetter hid under a fire truck to shield themselves from the gun firing. One of them managed to flee even while being badly wounded. The other firefighter probably would


References: Walsh, G., & Esch, M. (2012), N.Y. firemen’s killer mapped out plan for slayings, retrieved from, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/dec/25/man-who-gunned-down-2-ny-firemen-left-note-killing/ Smith, R. (2012), How the 'Strain Theory ' explains the William Spengler firemen killings, retrieved from, http://www.examiner.com/article/how-the-strain-theory-explains-the-william-spengler-firemen-killings Mach, A., White, J., (2012), Human remains found at home of gunman who ambushed firefighters, retrieved from, http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/25/16125861-human-remains-found-at-home-of-gunman-who-ambushed-firefighters?lite Collins, D. (2012), Firefighter ambush gunman had previously killed his gran in hammer horror attack, retrieved from, http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/webster-shooting-gunman-william-spengler-1504761 Walsh, G., (2012), Autopsy: N.Y. gunman shot self, was not hit by police, retrieved from, http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/dec/27/2-ny-firefighters-thankful-surviving-ambush/ Rankin, B. (2012), Lured to their deaths: Gunman starts house blaze then shoots dead two firefighters called out to tackle it, retrieved from, http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/webster-shooting-gunman-starts-house-1504693 Walsh, G., & Esch, M ., (2012), William Spengler 's Note Before Killing Webster Firefighters: 'Do What I Like Doing Best, Killing People ' retrieved from, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/25/william-spengler-set-trap_n_2362433.html (2012), Fireman shooting US gun maniac 'sister body ' found in home, retrieved from, http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4713716/William-Spengler-US-shooting-sister-body-found-in-home.html Robbins, L., & Goldstein, J., (2012), Gunman Who Killed Two Firefighters Left Chilling Note, retrieved from, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/26/nyregion/gunman-who-shot-firefighters-left-chilling-note.html?_r=0 Adler, F., Mueller, G., Laufer, W., & Grekul, J., (2012), Criminology, Chapter 5- Strain Theory.
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