James Edward Pough

"He was a nice person. A good person."
- A neighbour reflects on Pough

In 1971 James Pough was leaving a bar with his girlfriend when a man started to abuse her. Well Pough couldn't allow his lady to be disrespected so he killed the abuser. Luckily for him his lawyer was able to get the charges dropped down to aggravated assault and Pough only received five years probation for the killing. At the end of the five years the crime was wiped from his record, meaning he could again purchase weapons legally.

His life just drifted along until early in 1990, when his wife decided to leave him. Then later in the same month his pride and joy, a 1988 Pontiac Grand Am, was repossessed by GMAC. But despite these happenings Pough seemed to be unaffected, that is until June 18.

Just after midnight Pough went out into the street and shot a man and woman dead. About five minutes later he asked two teenagers for directions, then shot both at close range, wounding both.

At 9:00 am Pough robbed a convenience-store clerk at gunpoint. He then made his way to the local GMAC office.

At 10:50 am he walked in and shot a girl at the counter dead. He then walked around the counter to the main offices and took aim at anyone who moved. After calmly killing eight, he pulled out a previously concealed .38 revolver and shot himself in the head, killing himself instantly.