Morbid Questions You Were Always Afraid to Ask

Our attraction to the macabre is, on some level, a desire to experience someone else's suffering. We yearn to empathise – a yearning that is, incidentally, perfectly compatible with the evolutionary argument, since empathy helps us forge close bonds, which are essential for survival.
Striving to feel what it might be like to be caught in the tsunami, or the pile-up, may be fundamentally healthy. Perhaps even "the itch to touch a corpse".

-- Eric G. Wilson,
the author of Everyone Loves a Good Train Wreck: Why We Can't Look Away

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1. What age was the youngest person to commit suicide?

The youngest person to commit suicide was 6-year-old Samantha Kuberski of Oregon. After an argument with her mother on December 2, 2009, the first-grader was sent to her room. She announced that she was going to kill herself and then she did just that, tying her belt to the bar of a crib and hanging herself. The state medical examiner ruled the death a suicide but others question whether a 6-year-old can form the intent to realise the consequences of such actions.

Did you know?

Suicide occurs more frequently than homicide. For every two people murdered, three people commit suicide.

2. What age was the oldest person to commit suicide?

Excluding euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide, 100-year-old Michael Juskin of Elmwood Park, New Jersey is thought to be the oldest person to ever commit suicide. In April 2015, Juskin murdered his 88-year-old wife, Rosalia, with an axe while she slept before committing suicide by slashing his wrists.

Did you know?

One third of partner homicides end in the suicide of the perpetrator.

3. What age was the oldest person to die by assisted suicide?

The oldest person to die by assisted suicide was 105-year-old Germaine de Koninck of Belgium. Mrs de Koninck, who was in constant pain as well as being almost entirely blind and deaf at the time of her death, chose to check out with dignity by lethal injection rather than go on living in a home and watching her friends die one by one.

Did you know?

In Californian Death with Dignity cases, a doctor prescribes a massive dose of barbiturate that ignores patient size, age, gender and overall health. The deadly cocktail includes two anti-nausea pills, one anti-seizure pill and one hundred Secobarbital capsules which must all be ingested within one hour. The cocktail costs over $3,000 USD and is not covered by insurance.

4. What age was the youngest person to die by assisted suicide?

An unidentified 17-year-old from Brussels, Belgium with an undisclosed terminal illness is thought to be the youngest person to ever die by legal, medically-assisted suicide. The youth, who was in chronic, unbearable pain due to their condition, was put out of their misery in September 2016. Belgium’s relaxed euthanasia laws came into effect in 2014 when it became the first nation in the world to allow terminally ill children of any age the right to die under certain conditions.

Did you know?

In the Netherlands, infants born with spina bifida can be involuntarily euthanised if doctors, parents and social workers agree that further treatment is futile.

5. What is the most common method of suicide for males?

This varies across different cultures. For example, in the USA in 2012, firearms were the most common method of suicide for males (56.4%), whereas in Europe the most frequent method of suicide among males was hanging (54.3%).

Did you know?

Research suggests a correlation between a sport team’s poor performance and fan suicide rates!

6. What is the most common method of suicide for females?

Again, this differs across cultures. The 2012 USA statistics show that most commonly (36.2%), women who commit suicide do so by poisoning (the vast majority of which involves ingestion of drugs), whereas like their male counterparts, European women who commit suicide most commonly do so by hanging (35.6%). More women attempt suicide than do men, but more men complete suicide than do women. One factor that possibly accounts for this is the different methods the genders tend to use. Males tend to favour more ‘immediate’ methods like firearms, whereas females favour less immediate methods (such as overdosing) and hence are more likely to be prevented from completing suicide. This is known as the ‘gender paradox of suicidal behaviour.’

Did you know?

Women are most likely to attempt suicide during the first week of their menstrual cycle, due to low estrogen levels.

7. What was the biggest non-wartime mass suicide in modern history?

That would be the Jonestown Massacre. in north-western Guyana on November 18, 1978. Followers of the People’s Temple cult, led by the charismatic Jim Jones, obeyed his orders to drink a cocktail of Kool-Aid, deadly cyanide and sedatives. Jones ordered the assassination of US Congressman Leo Ryan who had come to investigate Jonestown, as well as ordering the murders of several of Ryan’s entourage and several defectors who planned to leave the cult. Once this occurred the mass suicide took place. Infants and children were given the deadly drink by their parents. Jones had armed cult members standing by to ensure that everybody drank their poison. For this reason the lines between mass suicide and mass murder are blurred in the case of the Jonestown Massacre. Jones died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. 913 people died in total.

Did you know?

The origin of the phrase ‘drinking the Kool-Aid’ to refer to a person or group who demonstrates unquestioning obedience or loyalty to someone or something, stems from the Jonestown Massacre.

8. What was the biggest wartime mass suicide in modern history?

This occurred during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. With a US victory looming, an estimated 80,400 Okinawan civilians committed mass suicide at the urging and direction of Japanese soldiers who told locals that the victorious Americans would go on a rampage of rape and murder, a common trope of Japanese propaganda at the time. The civilians were issued with grenades to blow themselves and their families up. Others threw themselves from the southern Okinawan cliffs. The Okinawans were indoctrinated to ‘become more Japanese than the Japanese’ - and were expected to kill themselves to prove it.

Did you know?

Japan has one of the highest suicide rates in the world. In Japanese culture there is a long history of honourable suicide including: seppuku (samurai ritual suicide by disembowelment), kamikaze (suicide attacks by military aviators), banzai charges (human wave attacks mounted by infantry units charging into the enemy fearlessly) and ubasute (euthanising an infirm or elderly relative by leaving them to die in a remote place, either by dehydration, starvation, or exposure.

9. What was the biggest mass suicide in ancient history?

967 Jewish Sicarii rebels chose to commit mass suicide during the Siege of Masada (Israel) in the Spring of 73 CE rather than surrender to the Roman Empire. Since Judaism forbids suicide they instead drew lots and killed each other in turn so that only the last man would have to technically commit suicide. The Jewish commander Eleazar ordered his force to burn everything except their food, to show the Romans that they could have lived but chose death over surrender in a final act of defiance.

Did you know?

The Quran forbids suicide as the gravest sin, except when martyring oneself in an act of jihad.

10. When was the first documented suicide?

The earliest known suicide note was discovered in Egypt in the late 19^th century. It was translated in 1896 by Adolf Erman who titled the note The Dispute With His Soul of One Who is Tired of Life. The note dates to approximately 2181 BC. British psychologist Chris Thomas analysed the work and diagnosed the writer as severely psychotically depressed with feelings of persecution and self-depreciation. The writer of the note is concerned about the consequences for his soul and the moral implications of his decision. He also worries about his family. Ultimately the man decides to end his suffering through self-immolation.

Did you know?

Genuine suicide notes tend to give instructions for property distribution, express psychological pain, show concern for the suffering of others and contain the word ‘love.’ Faked suicide notes tend to go into detail about the motive for suicide, mention the suicide itself and use euphemistic phrases for death.

11. Where is the most popular suicide site in the world?

China’s Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge is the most popular suicide location in the world. Over 2000 people have met their end jumping from the bridge since construction was completed in 1968. A local man named Chen Si, also known as the Angel of Nanjing, patrols the bridge and attempts to talk potential jumpers out of killing themselves. So far he has talked more than 300 people down.

Did you know?

Tips from people who have successfully talked down would-be jumpers include: Take your time and develop rapport. Keep your distance and ask their permission to approach. Get below them, kneeling for example, so they have to look down at you. Use active listening skills and open body language. Don’t ask questions that begin with ‘Why?’ Be non-judgemental, let them tell their story and keep talking. Let them know you are paying attention. Don’t interrupt.

12. Do animals have suicidal feelings?

The jury is still out on this one but there is some evidence to suggest that this is the case. There is anecdotal evidence of seemingly depressed or grieving animals displaying self-destructive behaviour likened to suicide after the death of an owner or mate. Dogs have been seen to refuse to eat following the death of an owner, or have even drowned themselves. Monogamous animals, ducks for example, have similarly refused to feed and drowned themselves following the death of a mate. In 2009, twenty-eight cows and bulls mysteriously threw themselves off a cliff in the Swiss Alps in an apparent mass suicide. In 2011, sixty-one whales beached themselves on Opoutere Beach in New Zealand. It was theorised that they were following their sick pod leader who had headed to shore to die.

Did you know?

Some parasites manipulate the behaviour of their host animal, causing them to expose themselves to predators in order to die, so that the parasite may move on to the next stage of its life-cycle.

13. What age was the world’s youngest mother?

The youngest mother in medical history was Lina Medina of Peru, who gave birth via caesarean section at the age of 5 years, 7 months and 17 days on May 14, 1939. She had a boy and named him Gerardo. He weighed 5.8 lb. Lina’s parents had sought medical assistance in March, assuming that their daughter had a tumour. Instead she was found to be 7 months pregnant. Doctors determined that Lina had entered extreme precocious puberty shortly after her birth. Her father was arrested on suspicion of sexual abuse but was later released due to lack of evidence. Gerardo’s father has never been identified.

Did you know?

Several Middle Eastern and African countries have no legal age of consent laws, but ban all sexual relations outside of marriage. In these countries it is common for girls to marry at the age of 9.

14. What age was the world’s oldest woman to become a new mother?

At 70 years of age, Rajo Devi Lohan of India became the oldest woman to ever give birth when she had her daughter Naveen in November 2008. The conception was achieved via postmenopausal IVF treatment with oocytes donation.

Did you know?

The term ‘test tube baby’ is a misnomer. Insemination actually occurs in a Petri dish. I guess Petri dish baby just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

15. What age was the world’s youngest father?

An unidentified 12-year-old schoolboy from Auckland, New Zealand became the world’s youngest father in 2013, fathering a child with the 36-year-old mother of one of his school chums. The boy had gone to his friend’s house when the mother plied him with alcohol and initiated sex with him. The sexual contact between the pair continued for several months until the boy came forward to his principal. The mother was later charged with sexual violation.

Did you know?

The most-searched porn term in the US is ‘step mom’ with ‘MILF’ also a highly popular choice at number 4.

16. What age was the world’s oldest man to father a child?

At the ripe old age of 96, Ramjit Raghav of India is believed to be the world’s oldest man to father a child. The former pro wrestler and his wife Shakuntala Devi welcomed their second son Ranjeet in 2012. Their eldest son Bikramjeet was born in 2010 when Ramjit was 94 and Shakuntala was 59. Ramjit once boasted that he made love to his wife four times a day. Shakuntala said her husband was better at making love than any 25-year-old and that he can go all night. Ew! Sadly in 2013 Bikramjeet mysteriously disappeared and has never been found. He was on a bus with his mother when she fell asleep. When she awoke he was gone. Unable to cope with the grief, Shakuntala left Ramjit, taking Ranjeet with her.

Did you know?

Whilst not quite in Ramjit’s league, Charlie Chaplin is the king of the old celebrity dads. He fathered the youngest of his eleven children when he was 73 years old.

17. Who was the world’s most prolific mother?

Mrs Feodor Vassilyev, a peasant woman from Shuya, Russia, gave birth to a total of 69 children - 16 pairs of twins, 7 sets of triplets and 4 sets of quadruplets - between 1725 and 1765.

Did you know?

Mirror image twins result when a fertilised egg splits later in the embryonic stage than usual. The twins generally use opposite dominant hands, have reversed dental structures, and the mirrored twin can be born with situs inversus, in which the major organs are reversed from their normal positions.

18. Who was the world’s most prolific father?

Genghis Khan was Emperor of the bedroom. He is said to have fathered over 2000 children. Genetic analysis shows he is an ancestor of 0.5% of the world’s population.

Did you know?

Khan was adept at both giving life and taking it. 40 million people perished during the Mongol conquests, reducing the contemporary world population by 11%.

19. What was the world’s largest multiple birth?

There are two recorded cases of nonuplets (nine babies at once). The first was in the case of the Broderick family from Australia on June 13, 1971. The second was in the case of the Saad family from Malaysia on March 26, 1999.

Did you know?

There are approximately 125 million living ‘multiples’ worldwide.

20. What is the record for the most babies in a single pregnancy, achieved naturally?

There is one documented case of an Argentinean woman who was pregnant with twelve babies, but unfortunately none survived.

Did you know?

All multiple pregnancies are classified as high risk, requiring more frequent hospital visits and ultrasounds than singletons.

21. What is the record for the most babies in a single pregnancy achieved through fertility medication and assisted reproductive technology?

In 1971, an Italian woman on fertility treatment conceived fifteen babies but unfortunately none survived.

Did you know?

Multiple pregnancies are far more likely to be achieved through assisted reproductive technology (38%) than natural conception (3%).

22. What is the longest pregnancy on record?

The average pregnancy lasts 280 days. 25-year-old Beulah Hunter of Los Angeles, California fell pregnant in March 1944 and did not give birth until over a year later! Clocking in at 375 days, Beulah finally gave birth to a healthy 6.15 lb daughter she named Penny. Penny had grown exceptionally slowly which resulted in the abnormally long pregnancy.

Did you know?

The widely espoused ‘average’ pregnancy length of 280 days is skewed. In the interests of the health of the baby and mother, most doctors induce labour by day 294 if labour has not started naturally. Plenty of babies are born prematurely though. This means there is no ‘bottom cap’ but there is a ‘top cap’ (294 days).

23. How big was the world’s biggest newborn?

On January 16, 1879, giantess Anna Bates of Nova Scotia gave birth to a 23.12 lb megababy after a gruelling 36-hour labour.

Did you know?

Anyone who is at least 7 feet tall is technically a giant or giantess.

24. Who was the world’s tiniest surviving premature baby?

Amillia Taylor of Miami was born after only 21 weeks and 6 days of gestation on October 24, 2004. She weighed less than 285 grams. After four months in hospital the little fighter was able to go home with her parents.

Did you know?

Famous people who were born prematurely include: Stevie Wonder, Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Winston Churchill, Mark Twain and Anna Pavlova.

25. Are you allowed to keep an amputated limb if you plan and ask in advance?

Yes! (Maybe). There is precedent for this. Leo Bonten of Spijkenisse, the Netherlands, broke his leg, which became infected and had to be amputated. Rather than letting the limb go to waste, Leo had pathologist Frank van de Goot preserve it and made arrangements with designer Willem Schaperkotter to convert his amputated leg into a functional lamp!

Did you know?

German anatomist Dr Gunther von Hagens is the creator and promoter of the traveling exhibition Body Worlds, in which preserved human bodies that have been plastinated are posed to create works of art.

26. If your eye pops out of its socket, can you still see out of it?

Yes - as long as the optic nerve remained attached, you would still see out of your eye if it popped out of its socket. However, the image would be blurred because your eyes wouldn’t be focused. Your eye muscles are used to change the shape of your eyes in minute ways which allows them to focus. This would not be the case for the eye that was hanging out of its socket.

Did you know?

If your eyes are blue, you share a common ancestor with every other blue-eyed person in the world. People all had brown eyes until a single genetic mutation in a person living in the Black Sea region led to blue eyes.

27. What would happen if you surgically switched your left and right eyeballs with each other?

It may seem blindingly obvious, but there is currently no surgery that can reattach a severed eyeball.

Did you know?

Over 1 million nerve fibers connect the eye to the brain. Technology to reconstruct those connections for eye transplants will probably be unavailable for some time.

28. What would happen if you slipped a blind person LSD?

Inspired by a previous study demonstrating that LSD induces measurable changes in human retinal function when visual hallucinations are being experienced, AE Krill et al. set out to answer this question in 1963. LSD was administered to twenty-four totally blind subjects. Fourteen subjects experienced visual hallucinations. Interestingly, there was also a higher incidence of auditory, tactile, gustatory and olfactory hallucinations compared to sighted people.

Did you know?

As part of the mind control program MKUltra, the CIA illegally drugged unsuspecting US citizens with LSD, leading to several deaths.

29. Can you lose your fingerprints?

Yes. Some criminals intentionally damage their fingerprints to evade detection. Prints can be painfully burned away or worn away. Additionally, some chemotherapy medications can cause people to lose their fingerprints.

Did you know?

Infamous bankrobber and killer John Dillinger burned his fingerprints off with acid to evade law enforcement.

30. If a pregnant woman dies, and both the mother and fetus are dead, are they buried in one casket or separated and buried as individuals?

In this situation both mother and fetus are buried in the one casket. If the mother’s body is not properly chemically preserved, a ‘coffin birth’ can occur, in which the fetus is expelled through the vaginal opening of the deceased mother as a result of the increasing pressure of intra-abdominal gases.

Did you know?

In 1551 a pregnant woman was hanged by the courts of the Spanish Inquisition. Four hours after her death, while her body still hung by the neck, she ‘birthed’ twin dead infants.

31. How long would it take before cats started to eat their dead owners?

According to the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, in cases where people live alone with their cats and die unexpectedly, the cats will wait two days tops before feasting on their corpse. In Russia, pussy eats you!

Did you know?

Your pet hamster will not only eat your face, but also make a nest inside your corpse’s chest, insulating it with your hair.

32. Who was the deadliest duellist?

Miyamoto Musashi, a 16^th century Japanese rōnin samurai, defeated over sixty opponents in duels (all to the death). He won his first duel at age 12, armed only with a stick, whilst his skilled adult opponent was armed with a traditional blade.

Did you know?

Otto von Bismarck once challenged Rudolf Virchow to a duel. Tradition decrees that the challenged party selects the weapons. Virchow chose two pork sausages - a normal one and one loaded with deadly Trichinella larvae. Both men were to eat one of the sausages, with Bismarck getting his choice of sausage. The appalled Bismarck declined and no duel was fought.

33. What was the deadliest petticoat duel?

A petticoat duel is a duel fought between females. In June 1829, two Russian ladies named Olga Zavarova and Ekaterina Polesova crossed sabres in a birch grove. Olga took a blow to the head and died instantly, but had already managed to strike Ekaterina in the stomach. Ekaterina died from the wound a day later.

Did you know?

Years later, their daughters continued the feud and duelled at exactly at the same place. The same governesses were even seconds again. At the end of the duel the younger Polesova, Anna, lay lifeless on the ground.

34. Were petticoat duels really fought topless?

This was often the case, ostensibly to prevent infection from clothing fragments entering wounds. A famous topless petticoat duel to first blood took place in Liechtenstein in August 1892 between Princess Pauline Metternich and Countess Kielmannsegg over a floral arrangement. The weapon of choice was rapiers. The Princess received a slash to the nose whilst the Countess received a cut on the arm. The wounds were struck almost simultaneously but the Princess was declared the victor.

Did you know?

French female writer George Sand and a woman named Maria D’Agugreat fought a duel over the affections of Hungarian composer Frantz List. The weapon of choice? Fingernails.

35. Who was the deadliest sniper?

Simo Häyhä, aka The White Death, a Finnish sniper who fought during the Winter War of 1939 - 1940, killed over 700 Red Army enemies. His unprecedented tactics included dressing all in white to camouflage himself amongst the snow, using iron sights instead of scopes so that glare wouldn’t give away his location and packing his mouth with snow so that counter-snipers wouldn’t see his breath. Bloody camper!

Did you know?

Snipers are trained to slow down their heart rate and shoot between heartbeats because blood flow can affect their fingers while shooting.

36. Who was the deadliest female sniper?

Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a Ukrainian Soviet sniper during World War II. She is credited with 309 kills, including 36 enemy snipers.

Did you know?

The word ‘sniper’ originated in reference to shooting snipe, a game bird which is considered a challenging target for marksmen.

37. Who was the deadliest soldier?

US soldier Sgt Dillard Johnson, commander of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle Carnivore, racked up 2,746 confirmed enemy combatant kills during his two tours in the Iraq War, making him the deadliest soldier in the history of modern warfare.

Did you know?

A Black Knight is an experimental unmanned ground combat vehicle making extensive use of BFV components, which is currently being evaluated by the US Army. It is remotely operated from a BFV command station.

38. Who was the youngest soldier?

Excluding unofficial rebel child soldiers, John Clem is the youngest soldier in Army history. He ran away from home at age 9 in May 1861 to serve in the Union Army in the American Civil War, joining the 22^nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment. He attained the rank of two-star general.

Did you know?

The following countries have reported use of child soldiers since 2011: Afghanistan, Colombia, India, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Mali, Pakistan, Thailand, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

39. Do soldiers ever kill their officers?

Yes - this is known as fragging (from ‘fragmentation grenade’). It became a common way to rid oneself of an unpopular officer by US military personnel during the Vietnam War. A frag grenade would most often be used as a forensic countermeasure due to the difficulty of tracing the incident to its source. The number of known and suspected fragging cases in Vietnam from 1969 to 1972 totals over 1,000.

Did you know?

Sometimes a bounty would be posted where enlisted men pooled their money to pay a soldier to kill an officer they considered dangerous. At the Battle of Hamburger Hill, the army underground newspaper GI Says offered a $10,000 USD bounty on Lt. Col. Weldon Honeycutt.

40. Has an American soldier ever been executed for killing civilians in a combat zone?

There are many cases of this. One of the most well-known is that of Louis Till. Till was a US soldier during World War II. While serving in the Italian Campaign, Till murdered an Italian woman and raped two others. He was court-martialed, found guilty and sentenced to death. He was hanged on July 2, 1945 in Pisa.

Did you know?

One of the most infamous wartime atrocities perpetrated by US forces was the Mỹ Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War. US soldiers slaughtered approximately 500 unarmed civilian South Vietnamese men, women, children and babies.

41. What age was the world’s youngest murderer?

Carl Newton Mahan was just 6 years old when he killed playmate Cecil Van Hoose (8). The Kentucky youngsters were fighting over a piece of scrap iron they found on May 18, 1929. The scrap iron could be sold to a junk dealer and times were tough. Cecil hit Carl, who ran home, got his daddy’s shotgun, returned and blew Cecil away. He was initially charged with murder but was eventually convicted of manslaughter and set free due to his young age.

More on youngest killers over here.

Did you know?

14-year-old George Stinney was executed by electric chair for the murder of two young girls in 1944. In 2014 he was exonerated.

42. What age was the world’s youngest serial killer?

The youngest serial killer on record was 8-year-old Amardeep Sada of Bihar, India. Sada killed three children before he was captured - his infant cousin, his infant sister and a neighbour’s child - by bludgeoning them with stones. Sada’s current whereabouts and status are unknown but he is presumed to be free and living under a new identity after having served a juvenile sentence.

Did you know?

One woman dies every hour in India because of dowry-related crimes.

43. What age was the world’s oldest serial killer?

Ray Copeland of Missouri killed the last of his 5 known victims on May 1, 1989, when he was 74 years old. Ray and his wife Faye’s MO was to hire young drifters as cheap labour on their farm and kill them shortly afterwards.

Did you know?

The Copelands were also the oldest couple to be sentenced to death.

44. What age was the youngest child executed?

Michael Hammond of Great Britain was just 7 years old when he was hanged in 1708 for stealing a loaf of bread.

Did you know?

The youngest child to be executed in America was Hannah Ocuish, a 12-year-old of the Pequot tribe who was hanged in 1786 for murdering the young daughter of a prominent white family after arguing with her over strawberries.

45. What age was the oldest person executed?

The oldest person executed was General Iraj Matbouie who was put to death at the age of 84 in 1980 in the aftermath of the Iranian Islamic Revolution.

Did you know?

Traditional Islamic methods of execution include: crucifixion, stoning and beheading.

46. Who is the world’s most prolific serial killer?

Luis Garavito, aka The Beast, is a Colombian child-killer who was active throughout the 1990s. He is known to have killed at least 138 victims, but is suspected of killing over 300, mostly street kids. Garavito has been incarcerated since 1999. Incredibly, due to a legal loophole he is due for release in 2021.

Did you know?

Colombia's drug trade is worth $10 billion USD. That's one-quarter as much as the country's legal exports.

47. Which mass murderer killed the most people?

Gameel Al-Batouti (59-years old), as the pilot of EgyptAir Flight 990, deliberately crashed the plane into the Atlantic Ocean on Halloween 1999, killing all on board (216 victims plus himself). The flight recorder captured him repeatedly stating ‘Tawkalt ala Allah’ (‘I rely on God’) as he shut off the engines and the plane went down.

Did you know?

In the United Kingdom, 350 pilots have been grounded since 2010 due to mental health issues.

48. What was the deadliest school massacre?

No prizes for guessing this took place in America, but it might not be the one you’re thinking of. On May 18, 1927, 55-year-old Andrew Kehoe, a farmer and Bath (Michigan) school board treasurer committed the Bath School massacre in which he killed his wife, 43 other people (including 38 children) and himself by detonating bombs at the school.

Did you know?

America has a long history of school massacres dating back to 1764.

49. What was the deadliest school shooting?

Also in the US, Seung-Hui Cho (23 years old) committed the Virginia Tech shooting on April 16, 2007. Armed with dual wielded semi-automatic pistols, Cho murdered 32 people before committing suicide.

Did you know?

Dual wielded pistols should be fired simultaneously, rather than alternating left and right shots. This ensures better accuracy.

50. What was the deadliest shooting spree?

The 22 July, 2011 Norway attacks, perpetrated by 32-year-old lone wolf Anders Behring Breivik, is the deadliest shooting spree on record. First Breivik set off a car bomb outside the offices of the Prime Minister, killing eight people and injuring a further 209. He then took a ferry to the island of Utøya where the Norwegian Labour Party was holding a summer camp for its youth division. Dressed in a homemade police uniform, he opened fire on the campers, killing 69 people and injuring a further 110.

Did you know?

In prison, Breivik has a PlayStation 2. He threatened to go on a hunger strike if it was not upgraded to a PlayStation 3 with more age-appropriate games - ‘Other inmates have access to adult games while I only have the right to play less interesting kids’ games. One example is Rayman Revolution, a game aimed at 3-year-olds.’