Billy Booth, 74, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his home after shooting and injuring seven neighbors, police said.
Alright, if you’re here to find out why someone would unleash bullets based on language preferences, pull up a chair because this story is wilder than a summer cookout. Look, I wouldn’t recommend reading this unless you want to be utterly fascinated. Or, you know, feel sad about the current state of humanity. Reverse psychology working? Good, let’s dive in.
Picture this: It’s another ordinary Friday in Crete, Nebraska. Or so people thought. Enter Billy Booth, a 74-year-old with seriously misplaced anger management issues. According to the police report, Mr. Booth decided to turn his xenophobic frustrations into a deadly tirade.
Authorities disclosed that Booth had previously lashed out at his Hispanic neighbors, presumably thinking he was the self-appointed guardian of linguistic purity. Classic, right? Yup, he shouted, “Go back to where you came from” and “Speak English.” Because nothing screams ‘good neighbor’ quite like being culturally intolerant while brandishing a shotgun.
Friday, 4:43 p.m., the Crete Police get frantic calls about an active shooter. Yikes. Col. John Bolduc of the Nebraska State Patrol described the scene as chaotic, with cops and EMTs hustling to evacuate victims and create a buffer zone to protect other residents. What’s more absurd than a maniac with a gun? A SWAT team sweeping in to take control. They found the man behind the madness, Billy Booth, inside his own home—absolutely lifeless from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, close to his trusty shotgun.
Seven Victims, Four Kids – Unfathomable
Let’s break it down—seven people shot, and among them, four children. Absolutely devastating. Victims ranged from 22 to 43 years old for adults and 3 to 10 years old for children. Think you could slide through life unscathed by linguistic diversity? Think again.
Fifteen people were huddled in that home on that fateful day, and sadly, most of them ended up outside when Booth went ballistic. Authorities provided quick medical aid, and six victims were whisked off to hospitals. One notably dazed soul realized he’d been shot only hours later. Imagine that!
Three of the victims are still hospitalized, including two kids. Yes, it’s that grim.
History of Intolerance, a Personal Vendetta
Reportedly, Billy Booth wasn’t exactly the nurturing grandpa type. Crete Police Chief Gary Young spelled it out: Booth had a checkered past with these neighbors, including an incident back in May where he let his prejudices fly, telling the Hispanic family to “go home” and “speak English.” And that, my friends, was that…until it erupted into a frenzy.
So, you might be thinking, was this a racially motivated shooting? Chief Young isn’t ruling it out. His words: “Certainly the context of ‘Go home’ and ‘Speak English’ lends itself to that.” You don’t say, Chief?
Endgame: Information Wanted
The shooting and its motives are still under tight investigation. Authorities are pleading for any additional information, so if you know something, say something.
Steve’s Take: When Stupidity Meets Firearms
Alright, here’s where Steve tells it like it is. Can we all just agree being a racist jerk with a firearm never ends well? Booth’s ideology—if you can even call it that—was idiotic at best. Imagine harboring so much hate that you escalate to such hideous violence. All this because someone spoke a language that doesn’t jive with your outdated worldview? Give me a break. In a multicultural society, seeing linguistic diversity isn’t just common; it’s beautiful.
When will folks learn that ‘telling others to speak English’ doesn’t grant you citizenship points? Spoiler alert: It just makes you look like a colossal ignoramus.
If we want to honor the victims, maybe start by fostering inclusivity instead of wielding a shotgun over language choices. Or, better yet, just be a decent human being.
