What Pushes Someone Over The Edge?
Written by: Tom Sawyer
There are some unfortunate people in Covina, California who didn’t have a pleasant Christmas. Actually, there are at least 7 people who didn’t even live to see Christmas this year. Crimes of passion seem to be more and more common in our society, but come on!
Bruce Pardo, 45, had no criminal record and no history of violence, according to police, but he was angry following last week’s settlement of his divorce after a marriage that lasted barely a year. The divorce was supposed to be amicable. Uh, I don’t think that is an accurate description of this divorce! He was so angry in fact that he went to his in-laws’ Christmas Eve party dressed as Santa Claus and opened fire. He is believed to have killed at least 6 with gunfire and/or a fire he set with a homemade device.
Can you imagine being related to someone who went to this party and will never live to see another day? It is hard to imagine someone dying for no reason at all like this. I’ve already said a prayer for the families involved and I would ask you to do the same.
Perhaps the worst part is he did what many of these sick, cowardly individuals do – he went to his brother’s house and put a bullet in his head. I wish people who do things like this would stick around and face the music. Yes he is dead, but I think justice would be better served if he were alive to face the consequences.
Why?
What would push someone over the edge and cause them the think their only option was to kill others and themselves? What chemical imbalance or mental instability does someone have that makes the brain think this is necessary? I can only hope and pray an affliction such as this never enters my body, my family’s bodies or anyone I know.
The worst part of this is – there seem to be many “worst” parts to this – occurrences like this are becoming more common. In fact, I’m sure some people may have came across this article and not even given it much thought. Where are our morals, our conscience, our compassion and our basic common sense?
Tags: christmas eve, murder, Pardo, party
December 27th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
This is horrible! You just don’t know what people will do nowadays. I feel for the family members.
December 30th, 2008 at 9:35 am
…at a family gathering, dressed as one the most beloved characters in history, during one of the happiest times of the years, celebrating the birth of Christ…
Just yesterday I watched an old 20/20 I had taped some time back and it was a story of a 17 years veteran policeman, still operating on the force. He was well respected, loved by many, and idolized by his wife and children. Over the course of a few years he raped women and then forced them to take a bath to get rid of the evidence. He was called the boyfriend rapist. There are many other details but the part you mention and resounds in my mind is, he had no criminal record. Nothing. He was “considered” an upstanding, actually outstanding citizen/guy/husband/father/etc. The question becomes, why and how did this happen to him? What clicked or malfunctioned in his mind to make him become a criminal? This man I speak of was sentenced to 440 years in prison. Since he was a normal nice guy and had no record, all I can do regarding this man, and the one you speak about Tom, is shake my head and say, but for the grace of God there go I or someone I love!
I prayed for the family. Such tragedy…