Biography of James Swann Jr.

The Shotgun stalker is a serial killer who terrorized the Washington, D.C area for two months in 1993. He would do random drive-by shootings using a 12-gauge shotgun. His name is James Swann Jr., was African American he was born in 1964. James was a New Jersey native. He moved to Oxon Hill with his sister a few years prior to the shootings. He worked as a security guard; however, Swann was fired because he insisted on walking backward while patrolling the aisles of a drugstore. In the 1980’s mental illness began to show in James. He did not try to find professional help for his mental disorders. In 1993, James Swann Jr., attempted to kill 14 people, and murdered 4 on Washington, D.C.

On February 23, 1993, James Swann began his attacks on Washington, D.C area. His first attack occurred on Holmead Place NW. He stuck his 20 gauge shotgun out of the driver side window and started to shoot at a woman walking home. She escaped without being shot. The same night about 15 minutes later on 1400 block of Oak Street NW, a 22 year old man was shot in the face and was partially blinded. His shooting was dismissed because of objectivity. On February 26, 1993, three days following the first shooting a man burst in a barbershop and murdered a customer with his shotgun. This was James Swann’s first slaying. Once again, police brushed the case off assuming it was drug related. James too a very brief rest from his crimes, however, on March 4, 1993, he returned to Washington and his victim was a 43 year old man walking down the street. He was shot in the head, but to be consistent the police assumed it was drug related. Police did not take the previous shootings serious until the drive by shootings continued in an upscale neighborhood in Mount Pleas...

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...wann no longer hears the voices of Malcolm X in his head. He earned associates degree and is seeking to earn his bachelor’s degree. James is still at Saint Elizabeth hospital, where he will spend the rest of his life for the crimes he committed.

References

Alexander, K. L. (2011, February 16). The Washington Post: Victim testifies as 1993 shotgun stalker seeks 12-hour release. Retrieved from The Washington Post : http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2011/02/16/ST2011021600164.html?sid=ST2011021600164

Duggan, P. (1994, September 27). Retrieved from The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/15/AR2011021501898.html

Murderpedia. (n.d.). Retrieved from Murderpedia: http://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/swann-james.htm

Tsuang, M. T., Faraone, S. V., & Glatt, S. J. (2011). Schizophrenia. New York: Oxford University Press.