Georgia sniper appeared fascinated with Nazis
A Georgia freeway sniper, who apparently idolized a Florida mass shooter, also appeared fascinated with German Nazis and their World War II military machine.
Rex Whitmire Harbour, 26, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after firing at seven vehicles, wounding three people, on Friday along a state highway in Gainesville, Georgia.
Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said investigators later searched Harbour鈥檚 home in Snellville, Georgia, and 鈥渄iscovered a manifesto鈥� stating his admiration for Nikolas Cruz, accused of fatally shooting 17 people in February at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.
鈥淲e found handwritten documents written by Mr. Harbour and they were very disturbing,鈥� the sheriff told reporters. 鈥淗e indicated that he idolized the [Parkland] mass shooter,鈥� calling him a hero who inspired Harbour and gave him聽鈥渃ourage and confidence.鈥�
鈥淭he remainder of the documents that I saw are very hate-filled in that regard,鈥� Couch said. 鈥淚t appeared that he was targeting all Americans. Why? That I don鈥檛 know.鈥�
Authorities haven鈥檛 specifically mentioned Harbour鈥檚 Facebook page, which shows he liked multiple pages set up in honor of German Nazis and one titled 鈥淟overs of the German military forces 1933-1945.鈥� The other pages he liked included a range of musicians and celebrities as well as multiple pages dedicated to 鈥淎merican Sniper鈥� Chris Kyle and his widow, Taya Kyle.
Harbour鈥檚 Facebook profile also shows that he liked numerous historical photos of German Nazis, including officers of the Panzerwaffe and Luftwaffe.
One of the photos Harbour liked on Facebook depicts Nazi leader Hermann G枚ring and his pet lion, while another is of Margarete 鈥淕retl鈥� Braun, Adolf Hitler鈥檚 sister-in-law and part of the Nazi inner circle.
Harbour also posted a public comment on a photo of Nazi tank commander Kurt Knispel, who was credited with destroying 168 Allied tanks, writing: 鈥淕reat work! Long live Germany!鈥�
After the highway shooting, investigators retrieved a trail camera showing Harbour taking a position in a wooden area adjoining the southbound side of the highway where the shootings occurred, the reported.
At least 17 shell casings were recovered, authorities said.
As deputies responded to the scene, Harbour fled in a Buick that came to a stop in a roadway median where he shot himself. In the vehicle, investigators found three 9mm handguns, a 12-gauge shotgun and more than 3,400 rounds of ammunition.
