Washington Navy Yard Gunman Aaron Alexis' Troubled Past Exposed

What drives a man to insanity? While the answer may be nuanced, the signs are easier to pick up on. They demonstrate certain tendencies that serve as red flags, a clear warning that something disastrous is looming on the horizon. Unfortunately, these signs often go unnoticed, or worse, ignored. The result can be tragic, a misfortune too commonly associated with the past two years. Unprecedented shootings in schools, movie theaters and other public venues have rocked our country, a nation that remains divided on gun laws, a nation that needs to act fast to skew the growing trend of mindless violence.

On Monday, September 16, Aaron Alexis broke. His addled mind drove him to kill at least 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard, where he died during a shootout with police. The Navy Reserve had recently discharged Alexis of duty after he fired a bullet through his downstairs neighbor's ceiling and leaving his apartment in Fort Worth. His departure from the Navy in 2011 was also a product of “a pattern of misconduct” and a separate gun incident back in 2010, a Navy official, who chose to stay anonymous, told the Washington Post.

Another official said the Navy ordered a “general discharge,” a classification often used to mark a spotty performance record, reports The Washington Post. In some cases, a general discharge can make it difficult to obtain a civilian job outside of the Navy, which can weigh heavy on a troubled mind. Alexis, on the other hand, voiced other issues.

Following his departure, he moved to Fort Worth and landed a job as an hourly tech employee for The Experts, updating computer systems at Navy and Marine Corps installations across the globe. His life had structure. He was adapting well. But other problems began to take their toll.

A friend described him as a “sweet and intelligent guy,” but also a very aggressive individual with suicidal tendencies. His long track record with the law, including firing three shots at a parked Honda Accord, and mental illness served as blatant indications of a dangerous violent streak, but no one took initiative to intervene. His father told detectives that Alexis “had experienced anger management problems that the family believed was associated with [post-traumatic stress disorder],” according to USA Today.

On the day he shot at the Honda in 2004, which two construction workers had parked in a driveway adjacent to his house, Alexis claimed that the workers has “mocked” and “disrespected” him, which lead to an anger-induced blackout. No charges were ever filed.

In 2008, he was arrested on disorderly conduct in DeKalb county, Georgia. He spent two nights in jail, but once again, Alexis got off easy. Despite his accomplishments, his aggressive streak continued and isolated him from others. He even fired a gun, which he carried at all times, into his friend’s wall in 2012, claiming that it had been an accident. Other friends claimed that he would sometimes start drinking at 9:30 a.m. in the morning.

In the years leading up to the shooting, Alexis lived in Fort Worth in a bungalow in the woods near a Buddhist temple, where he made friends and occasionally meditated. On Monday, as the news spread, those at the temple could not believe their ears. Despite his aggression and track record with fire arms, they couldn't believe it. But while they were surprised by his actions, several Thai immigrants, with whom Alexis had grown close, said they were always hesitant to go “too deep with him.”

“He would help people if they came in carrying heavy things,” said J. Sirun, an assistant to the monks. “From the outside, he was a quiet person. But on the inside, I think he was very aggressive. He did not like to be close with anybody, like a soldier who has been at war.”

And to war he returned. His actions on Monday will leave yet another stain on our country’s recently tarnished history. Maybe, just maybe, we can avoid future tragedy with harsher gun laws for those with criminal records and unstable psychees. Policy makers continue to wade through a sea of nuance, but perhaps Aaron Alexis’ bloodstained hands will help clear the water.