You’re telling me the same guy who was proclaimed some kind of modern ninja-spy-assassin-genius on the back of his work in NYC was just stupidly waltzing around Altoona carrying an illegal ghost gun?
Doubt.
Why would he be carrying all of the evidence including handwritten motives, the same fake ID and firearm with him to McDonald’s after days of being on the run? If he really wanted a ghost firearm, he could have had a second one that fired another caliber. Why would he still be wearing a face mask to make him look exactly like the pictures that were released and triggering people to think of him?
Either this guy wanted to get caught, or we’re not getting the full story.
Personally think he underestimated the target this would paint on his back. Either that or he knew and was expecting to be caught.
That’s the trouble with heroes becoming actual people and likely why media is covering who he is. Instead of being an unknowable symbol of defiance, we now have to grapple with the fact that he is human.
Assuming the latter given he apparently didn’t ditch the gun, clothing, and had a manifesto. Especially so if it’s true the gun was 3d printed, that would’ve been much easier to dispose of than an actual gun. Dudes had days and is in an area where they have easy cover to burn all of those things
In the modern surveillance state, it’s hard to get away with this kind of thing. In a matter of hours, they had a partial photo, the hostel where he was staying, the ID he used, and the taxi he took.
Granted, some of this was probably from people reporting him after seeing his picture on the news.
There’s still no reason he should have had any of those bits of evidence still on his person though if he didn’t want to get caught.
My “I’d like it to be true” theory is that the guy is terminally ill anyhow, and escape vs. get caught later and have a platform due to the trial vs. be killed at the scene were all equally acceptable outcomes to him.
Hence the very meticulous planning and clear proficiency with the required steps to do the killing, yet (intentional?) sloppy drop of the phone and water bottle, plus exposure of his face, and continuing to carry every bit of the evidence they could hope to find on him days later.
