1988 Oakland Elementary School shooting

On the morning of September 26, 1988, Wilson drove to his maternal grandmother's house and stole her .22 caliber, nine-shot revolver.

Next, Wilson pulled out the pistol and began shooting, picking his victims, both children and adults, at random.

He was confronted by physical education teacher Kat Finkbeiner, who accosted him and tried to stop him in the restroom; he shot her twice, wounding her.

When the police arrived, principal Eleanor Rice had made contact with Wilson who presented several forms of identification.

[6] James William Wilson Jr. (born April 13, 1969[7]) was 19 years old, unemployed, and living a rather isolated life with his paternal grandmother.

[8] He was treated with the benzodiazepine drug Xanax to address his anxiety and depression and got relief from his symptoms with this medication.

The first was about four years before the shooting, following an incident in which his grandmother and her husband called police after Wilson had locked them in a back bedroom and left the house in a violent frenzy.

Among the four books he checked out was an account of a mass murderer who buried bodies in his back yard and basement.

Wilson often joked about violence and would make comments to family members, saying, “Do you think they get a thrill out of (whatever the violent scenario was)?” and then follow the statement with laughter.

[8][12] After the shooting the teachers employed methods to help the students such as reducing the noise of the chairs with felt on their feet, and placing a large cupboard by the door to have something to barricade the entrance.